The Sound of Snow
by String of Pearly
Summary: Every cat has their own story. And every cat has their own little secrets, whether it's forbidden love or the murder of their own leader. Every cat has their own little secrets... But little secrets never stay safe.
1. Allegiances & Prologue

**...So uh, I may or may not have started a new story...?**

**I've actually been working on this for a while, and I didn't plan on posting it until Bleeding Hearts was finished. But I was sick today and had a lot of free time and decided to post this I guess? Lulz. I'm going to be focusing more on Bleeding Hearts because it's almost finished, so this won't be updated as much until that's done. But I do have another chapter of this already finished which I guess I might as well put up in a few days.**

**But anyway! Uh... enjoy? (:**

_ShadowClan Allegiances_

_Leader: _Minnowstar- A sleek silver-gray she-cat with stripes of dark gray and black. She has a long tail and light blue eyes.

_Deputy:_ Harestep- A very light brown tom with long legs and big amber eyes.

_Medicine Cat:_ Willowfall- A very light gray, almost white, she-cat with blue eyes and long fur.

_Warriors_

Weaselfoot- A medium-brown tabby tom with long black claws and bright green eyes. (Apprentice- Olivepaw)

Swallowflight- A pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with leaf-green eyes.

Redwhisker- A handsome and muscular orange tabby tom with stunning blue eyes.

Emberheart- An orange tabby she-cat with a white stomach and paws and pale green eyes.

Owlwing- A she-cat with a pelt of solid light brown and huge owl-like amber eyes.

Briarclaw- A very dark brown tabby tom with dark amber eyes. (Apprentice- Cedarpaw)

Furzetail- A skinny she-cat with a white pelt and several black patches. She has pretty blue eyes and one almost completely shredded ear. (Apprentice- Ratpaw)

Cinderblaze- A light gray she-cat with a tiny white spot on her back. She has blue eyes.

Icewhisker- A large white tom with short fur and green eyes.

Ravenheart- A sleek black tom with amber eyes. (Apprentice- Snowpaw)

Darkstorm- A lean black tom with blue eyes. (Apprentice- Frostpaw)

_Apprentices_

Cedarpaw- A small tom with a light brown tabby pelt, one white paw, and amber eyes.

Frostpaw- A pretty she-cat with a short white pelt and dazzling blue eyes.

Snowpaw- A pretty she-cat with short white fur and leaf-green eyes.

Olivepaw- A dark brown tabby she-cat with pale green eyes.

Ratpaw- A very dark gray, almost black tom with medium-length fur and amber eyes.

_Queens_

Bluepelt- A beautiful blue-gray she-cat with wide blue eyes and feathery whiskers. (Kits: Littlekit, Icekit, Brokenkit)

Bramblestripe- A very dark brown she-cat with only a few tiny black spots and pale green eyes. (Kits- Olivepaw, Ratpaw, Oakkit)

Lightstream- A very pale ginger she-cat with a white chest and paws.

_Elders_

Silvermist- A once-beautiful gray tabby she-cat who is now losing fur in a few places. She has blue eyes.

Clawstrike- A very old white tom with a few ginger patches and dull green eyes

_Prologue_

She could never undo what she had done. She knew that. She had made a terrible mistake, one that she could never take back. And every time she thought about it, she felt this sharp pang in her heart that wouldn't ago away until she finally closed her eyes to sleep, only to wake up in a panic from her nightmares. Mistakes happen, she tried to tell herself. She was sure that this sort of thing had happened before, and it was just part of life.

So why did it haunt and torment her like this?

It was late at night, the moon high and nearly at its fullest. A few thin clouds drifted by, and she shivered as a cold breeze ruffled her long fur. Leaf-fall was slowly turning into Leaf-bare. ShadowClan's territory was growing barren, and prey was becoming scarce. Snow had yet to fall, but it would only be a matter of time.

The light gray she-cat winced as another wind blew by. She walked alone in the darkness, away from camp where they were still mourning the loss of Badgerkit, who had died from a bad fever. Or, that's what they'd thought, anyway, until they discovered that the poor thing had actually eaten several deathberries. No one knows how the kit had managed to find any, but he had.

Emberheart, the mother, was, of course, a wreck. Her mate had been killed during a ThunderClan conflict, and Badgerkit had been the only surviver in a litter of three. The amount of pity the gray she-cat had for her was unbearable, and she couldn't even begin to imagine what she was going through.

She needed to get away from it all. From the sadness and anger and _accusations._ She needed to clear her head. She needed to see... _him._ He would make it all better. She knew he would.

The trees began to thin out as she started nearing RiverClan territory. She squinted her eyes; in the distance, she could make out the shape of the docks where they met every other night. Thank StarClan that they got to meet tonight, because she needed him now. Even more than usual.

She broke out from the darkness of the pine trees, seeing ahead of her the marshes. A few taillengths in front of her was the small Thunderpath that the Twolegs used during Greenleaf- but now that it was so cold, they never saw them. Even so, stepping across it made her spine tingle.

She walked along the path, heading towards the docks. When it was warm, it was always crowded with Twolegs, but nowadays, it was peaceful and quiet.

She felt wood beneath her paws, and she looked around the spacious area- he wasn't here, yet. With a flick of her tail, she slowly walked to the very edge, standing a whisker from the freezing water beneath her. She looked out at the lake; it was beautiful, just like always. The moon and stars glimmered on its surface, and she could nearly see the other side, where the moors lay. But even in all its beauty, it didn't make her feel any better. Not at all. Honestly, for a very brief second, she swore she could have just jumped in, letting her body sink to the bottom.

She winced, another cool air blowing her fur. She prayed that she wouldn't have to wait long. Closing her eyes, she let her mind wander.

And then, a familiar scent wrapped around her...

"Hello," murmured a voice. Her eyes shot open and she looked over her shoulder, blinking softly as she saw him there. He was a large, muscular tom, with sleek, black fur. His green eyes shimmered happily as he approached her, nuzzling her and purring softly. "Sorry I'm late."

She would normally close her eyes, whispering "I love you" in response, but she just sat there, silent. He pulled away, sensing that something was wrong, and sat down beside her.

"What is it?"

She looked up at him, blue eyes shimmering with sorrow. "I failed," she whispered. "I failed, Blacktail."

"What do you-"

"A kit was sick today," she continued quietly. "Badgerkit. I thought that he was suffering from a fever, but he... He'd eaten deathberries." She let out a quick sigh; "I should have known from the beginning that those weren't normal symptoms of a fever. I made a stupid mistake, and now he's dead." She clenched her eyes shut, leaning her head against the tom's shoulder. "He's dead because of _me,_ Blacktail." The tom looked at her, resting his tail on her back. He was silent for a minute.

"Mistakes happen," he murmured. "It wasn't your fault-"

"It _is,_ though," she whispered. "You should have been there. Emberheart was screaming at me, yelling that I should have known better, and that I'd killed her only son-"

"Stop," he muttered, licking the top of her head. "Please, Willowfall, don't be so hard on yourself. Nobody's perfect." She didn't reply, and he said nothing more. They sat together for a few minutes in complete silence as Blacktail tried to soothe her.

Willowfall raised her head, looking at him worriedly. "I-I have something to tell you." He gazed at her.

"Yes?"

"I-I... I'm... expecting kits."

No reply.

He stared at her, his mouth hanging open slightly, his eyes wide in shock. And then, after a long moment, his lips formed a smile, and he leaned over, licking her muzzle.

"That's great, Willowfall!"

"No," she said, pulling away, "it's not. I'm a medicine cat, Blacktail." She stared at him, getting to her paws. "Do you know what this _means? ..._It's against the warrior code, _that's_ what it means. I'm not supposed to have a _mate_, let alone _kits._ How are we going to keep this a secret once I start getting bigger?" She panted, having gotten worked up. He stood up and looked at her.

"Willowfall, calm down. Please. This is _great_ news. You've always wanted to have kits, you've told me so many times. We'll make it through this, Willowfall." He walked over to her, licking her nose and looking at her with a reassuring smile. "I'll never leave you, Willowfall. I promise."

The she-cat looked at him, and after a moment, she sighed, smiling a bit in return. She closed her eyes, pressing her face against his shoulder.

"Thank you," she whispered.

They stood like that for several minutes. And for a few moments, all of Willowfall's worries began to fade. She loved Blacktail. So much. And he loved her, too. So what if she'd made the mistake about Badgerkit? So what if she was breaking the warrior code? Did it really matter, in the grand scheme of things? No. They were there for each other. And when he told her that he'd never leave her, she knew with all her heart that he was telling the truth.

"I should get back," he murmured in her ear, pulling away after a bit. She frowned a little, a pout on her lips.

"Do you have to?"

"Hey," he said quietly, smiling. "Tomorrow night's the Gathering. I'll see you then, don't worry."

She grinned a little at this, nodding. "Alright. I'll see you then."

Blacktail turned and began to pad off, but not before turning around once more, saying, "I love you, Willowfall."

"I love you, too," she replied with a light giggle. Sometimes she felt as if the two of them were just apprentices.

She stood there on the dock, watching him until he was gone. A silly little smile was still on her lips, and she turned back to the water, looking at it quietly as slowly, one by one, her fears began to return.

"So, Willowfall," a voice suddenly said. The medicine cat's blue eyes widened, and she whirled around to see who was there. And when she saw who was at the opposite end of the dock, slowly walking over, her heart nearly stopped, and the blood in her veins turned to ice.

This cat was tall and long-legged, with a coat of silver and darker gray stripes. Once beautiful, this she-cat was beginning to grow old. She was getting thinner, and her bones were more visible. She had several visible scars from all of the battles she'd fought in the past, and in general, she now had a tired aura about her. However, her eyes would still shine with defiance and pride... and proud she was of her Clan.

"Graystar," Willowfall whispered, with some difficulty as she felt her throat tighten up. Why was she here? She couldn't have possibly seen her with Blacktail. Right? Maybe this was just about Badgerkit. Or maybe she had been looking for her. Yes. Maybe that was all. It _had_ to have been all. "D-Do you need something?" she stammered, trying to remain calm as she walked over to meet her.

The leader gazed down at her, her old eyes fiery, her expression hard.

"Don't try to hide it anymore, Willowfall," she said, her eyes narrowing to slits, her tone cold as ice. "I saw everything." The medicine cat stared at her, her mouth agape, preparing to explain herself- but she was cut short. "Let me tell you, I hadn't even the slightest idea that you were meeting a tom from RiverClan. I applaud you for being able to keep it such a secret." Her words stabbed Willowfall like thorns, unforgiving. The light gray she-cat took a step back, her eyes wide and shining. This couldn't be happening. They'd _never_ been caught before. By _anyone. _And it just so happened that the first one to catch them was her own _leader_.

"I-I'm sorry, Graystar," she rasped. "I-"

"To think that my own medicine cat would not only have a mate, but a mate from _RiverClan!"_ She loudly spat the last word with resent, making Willowfall jump a bit. Graystar lowered her head a bit, down to her level. Then, she slowly whispered, "You're a _disgrace."_

Willowfall looked like a lost kitten, her ears flattened and her eyes wide and shimmering with fear and shame. She was even trembling slightly as her leader said these words to her. It took a few moments before she could even _speak_ again.

"G-Graystar... I'm..."

"I heard everything," hissed the old cat. "I heard about the kits." Willowfall froze, staring at her with disbelief. She could no longer speak.

Graystar turned away, her back to the medicine cat. She took one step forward before quietly murmuring, "The minute those kits are born, they are to be killed. I cannot have such filth as the children of a medicine cat and a RiverClan tom in _my_ Clan. We are _not_ like ThunderClan."

"No!" Willowfall screamed, her voice cracking with horror and desperation. She ran over to face Graystar, her eyes huge. "You _can't!"_

"I am the _leader_ of this Clan," Graystar snarled, unsheathing her claws, her blue eyes blazing with rage. "You _will_ obey me."

Willowfall stepped away, terrified as she tried to find her breath. Her head was swirling, and she could barely even see straight. A sudden hatred for her leader hit her like a monster on Thunderpath, and before she could even_ think_ about what she was doing, she launched herself at the older she-cat with fury, so hard that she was pushed off the edge of the dock. A second later, there was a splash.

Willowfall ran over to the edge, looking down with horror at the water, several taillengths below. In the bright moonlight, she could see as the dark shape of her leader emerged from the surface. She was gasping and coughing and panting, and the medicine cat thought she could see a flash of fear going through the eyes of the she-cat.

"W-Willowfall!" the old cat coughed, struggling to stay above the water. _"Help!"_ But Willowfall did nothing. She only stood there, frozen, as she watched her leader begin to choke and hack. She tried to get her paws to move. Part of her, as a medicine cat, had an overwhelming desire to dive down and try to save her.

But then she thought of Blacktail. Of his soothing voice as he whispered "I love you." And she thought of their kits. If she saved Graystar now, her kits had no future. They would die the minute they were born, shattering her happiness and life with Blacktail.

No. She couldn't do that. To herself, to Blacktail, _or_ her kits. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right.

And so she backed up, turning and running away, leaving Graystar yowling and coughing as StarClan took away the very last of her lives.

**Well. That's that. Uh, sort of angsty I guess? ...Lulz I haven't had a new story in so long it's such a weird feeling I don't even know what to type lolol.**

**It would be lovely if you were to review. (: Willowfall plushies for everyone!**

**Till next time,**

**Pearly**


	2. Chapter 1: Dead

**Hey, guys! Thanks for everyone who's reviewed so far. (: I uh, don't have much to say haha. I'mma just do review replies here, for now. (:**

**Koraki: Hahh, I liked Graystar, too. (: But her daughter is quite like her, as you'll see. (: And who knows, you may even see her again! (I don't know, either. Awkward) As for your not-too-keenness (?) towards Willowfall, well, she's actually not the only main character. (: She's important, but there will be several characters that certain chapters will be centered around. So you'll only have to deal with her sometimes. (: (: Thanks so much for reading! First reviewer whaddup. (;**

**The Last Sketch: Thankyouthankyou for reading. (: You always make my day, heartheart. (:**

**Moving to Mars: ...I don't remember if I already replied to your review or not? lolollll but anyway, thankyouthankyou for the compliments, super happy you like it so far. (: Hah, I'd better not jynx it.**

**Jayfeather4ever: I doubt that! I bet you're a great writer. (: Everyone's writing style is different, is all. (: Thanks so much for reading!**

**Onto Chapitre Un. :)**

Chapter 1

_Dead_

[Olivepaw]

It was Leafbare. A thick layer of snow had covered the ShadowClan forest, and the lake was beginning to freeze. Birds had long since left the area, in search for warmer places, and mice and voles had buried themselves away or ran off. And so, prey was scarce. Scarcer, even, than most Leafbares, for it was one of the coldest ones the Clans had faced in years.

It was dark that day. The sun had set early, and thick clouds were covering the skies. A light, soundless snow came down as the cats of this forest gathered together in the shallow hollow they called their camp.

Situated in a semi-circle, they stood around the limp body of a light brown tabby. He lay in the snow, his amber eyes half-closed and a dark red mark on the top of his skull where he had been struck. He was dead, of course, and his name was Reedfur, one of the most respected warriors of ShadowClan. Naturally, everyone was shocked and horrified by his death. It was just so sudden. They say that he had slipped into the stream at the edge of their territory, hitting his head on a rock and drowning. They'd found his body a day later after sending out a search party.

A she-cat stepped forward, slowly approaching the warrior's body. Tall, slender and beautiful, flakes of snow hung from the cat's silver fur. Her light blue eyes scanned the clearing before they roamed down to the dead cat at her paws. She then leaned down, resting her chin on the warrior's head before silently backing away.

This was their leader, Minnowstar. She was the young daughter of the former leader, Graystar, who had been found washed up on the beach after she'd mysteriously disappeared for a week. She resembled her mother in practically every way- in both appearance and personality. She was strong and fiercely proud, willing to sacrifice anything for the sake of her Clan. As her mother had been.

From the crowd sat a dark brown tabby she-cat in the snow, her pale green eyes watching the scene before her. She shook her pelt at one point to try to get the snowflakes off, but it didn't work too well. She let out a short sigh, glancing to the tom that sat on her right. He was rather small in size, even for an apprentice, and had a light brown tabby pelt. His front left paw was white, and his deep amber eyes were silently glued to the scene in front of him.

The she-cat frowned, nudging the cat- Cedarpaw- the tiniest bit. But when he looked at her, she only saw fear and desolation in his eyes. She felt a pang in her heart, blatantly aware that there was nothing she could do to make him feel better about the death of his father. It was over.

Someone stepped forward. It was a pretty tortoiseshell she-cat, though her fur was ruffled and her usually bright green eyes were dull. It was Swallowflight, Reedfur's former mate and Cedarpaw's mother. She slowly walked forward before soundlessly collapsing into the snow beside the dead cat, burying her face into his fur and making not a single noise. Everyone watched, the air around them completely silent.

One by one, cats took their turns to mourn for the fallen tom, some murmuring a few words beneath their breaths. Olivepaw, the dark brown tabby she-cat, hesitantly stepped forward, feeling as if she was being intently watched as she walked up to where Reedufr lay. A bit awkwardly, she leaned down, tenderly touching her nose to the warrior's ear. She pulled away after a moment, not being able to find any words to say. She knew how wonderful a cat he was. He was loyal, kind, and considerate, looked up to by everyone in the Clan. He was generous and selfless, always putting his life at risk in every battle ShadowClan fought. Olivepaw knew that it would take some time for the Clan to recover from this, and she knew that the hole Reedfur left would take moons to fill back in.

She walked back to where she was sitting with Cedarpaw, looking at the tom quietly.

"Are you going to go up there?" she asked in a deep murmur. The tom made no reply. He just stood there, staring at his father, a small frown on his face. Olivepaw let out a short sigh, feeling useless. She couldn't do a thing. Cedarpaw was one of her best friends, and she couldn't stand seeing him like this.

A few hours passed, the sun now completely gone, dark clouds covering up the moon. Several cats were eating dinner, though there wasn't one sound to be heard in this camp. No one had said practically a word since Reedfur's body had been brought in on the backs of Owlwing and Briarclaw. Every cat in the Clan had felt a connection with the warrior. He was simply the best there was. Even so, no one said a thing.

Olivepaw was sitting quietly in the nursery, her brother Ratpaw beside her. He was a handsome tom, with a silky pelt of dark gray and glowing amber eyes. She knew that he was by far the most popular apprentice, and she could see why. He was funny, outgoing, smart- quite like Reedfur, in fact. She also knew that sisters Snowpaw and Frostpaw both liked him, and were constantly fighting over him. If Ratpaw was aware, then he didn't show it.

The siblings were sitting beside their mother, Bramblestripe, a very dark brown she-cat with a few black flecks along her pelt, pale green eyes dull with fatigue. She looked so much like her daughter.

Curled up in a small ball, nestled up to the queen, was a tiny, brown tabby kit- Oakkit. His eyes were clenched together, and he was fast asleep, little whiskers twitching every now and then. Bramblestripe had only had two kits in this litter, but Oakkit was the only one who had even had the chance to take a breath or let out a mewl. And as distressed as the queen was over her stillborn daughter, she was grateful that Oakkit had survived and she was raising her with all the love that a mother should show. Olivepaw and Ratpaw often helped her, because their father was... out of the picture.

"It's such a shame what happened to Reedfur," Bramblestripe murmured softly as she continually licked the top of the sleeping Oakkit's head.

"Oh, isn't it terrible?" squeaked Lightstream, a pale ginger queen with a white belly and paws. She was very young, and had only been a warrior for a few days before she learned that she was pregnant. Her kits had yet to come, but anyone could see that her stomach was growing. Her mate, Darkstorm, was sitting beside her, his lean, black body wrapped around her as he tried to keep her warm. The she-cat shook her head fretfully; "I hope this isn't a sign from StarClan telling us what's to come. Leafbare is simply the worst!"

"Shut up a bit, will you, Lightstream?" came the hoarse voice of Bluepelt, a stunning gray tabby whose attitude didn't match her appearance. "My _kits_ are trying to sleep."

Lightstream flattened her ears and lowered her head, and Darkstream quickly licked her cheek in comfort before sending the other queen a glare.

"I feel awful for Swallowflight and Cedarpaw," murmured Ratpaw, his eyes glowing. "It must be so hard..."

"Yeah," muttered Olivepaw. "Especially after what happened to Waterkit-"

"Olivepaw, please," sighed Bramblestripe. "Don't talk about that. No one wants to hear that awful story again." The apprentice flicked her ear.

"I'm just saying," she mumbled. "I hope they're dealing with this alright. It wasn't easy for them the first time, to say the least."

Ratpaw frowned, looking away. Everyone in the nursery was silent for a few moments.

Olivepaw sighed, getting to her paws. "I'm going to get something to eat," she murmured, giving quick nods to the others before she turned and walked out into the snowy night.

The she-cat shivered as she met with the cold air, and she padded forward, footsteps soft in the snow as she kept her head down, making her way to the small freshkill pile in the middle of camp. It was flurrying lightly. By that time, most of the Clan had gone indoors.

She passed by the medicine cat, Willowfall, along the way; she was heading towards her den. Olivepaw dipped her head, slightly, and though Willowfall noticed, she didn't do or say anything. The apprentice watched her slightly curiously as the older cat continued, vanishing into her den.

Olivepaw reached the food stock to see that all that was left were two tiny mice, now freezing cold. She frowned slightly and picked one up with her teeth, raising her head.

Across the way, at the edge of camp, right before the land sloped up, sat Cedarpaw. His tail was wrapped around his paws, and he was perfectly straight, his ears flattened slightly and his amber eyes staring blankly out into space. His light brown pelt was speckled with white snowflakes, but he didn't move an inch. Olivepaw frowned, hesitating a little before she made her way over to where he was.

She stopped when she was standing a few whiskers in front of him, and she gingerly put the mouse at her paws.

"Have you eaten recently, Cedarpaw?" she asked quietly. He made no response. He didn't even look at her. He was just staring ahead, into the darkness.

A cold wind swept by, and Olivepaw shivered again; the tom, however, didn't move at all. The she-cat sighed and sat down beside him, ears flattened as a snowflake landed on her nose. She looked over at him.

"Cedarpaw, you need to eat. Please. At least take-"

"Dead," came the soft voice of the other apprentice, his tone so pure and light and innocent despite what he was saying.

It was the first word he'd said all day.

Olivepaw stared at him, blinking slowly. "What?"

"...Dead," he whispered after a few seconds, a little quieter.

The she-cat frowned and lay her head against his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry," she rasped. "And I know that there probably isn't anything I can do to make you feel better, but I hate seeing you like this, and-"

"Dead," he said again. Olivepaw stopped talking. She just sat there beside him as snow continued to fall.

They stayed that way for a long time.

**So, like I kind of said in Koraki's review reply, the point of view will switch off every chapter out of several main characters who you will soon learn more about. Sorry if it ever gets confusing. (;**

**Review and get an Olivepaw plushie? (:**

**Till next time!**

**Pearls**


	3. Chapter 2: An Encounter

**Hayguiz. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've been super busy slash writing other thingz. But now that Bleeding Hearts is finished, I'll be updating this much more often (: Or I'll try to, anyway?**

**Recap: It's Leafbare, and Reedfur, a highly respected warrior of ShadowClan, had just died when he slipped into the stream and drowned. The Clan is all mourning for him, and Olivepaw, a young apprentice, tries to comfort Cedarpaw, the son of Reedfur. Later, Olivepaw is in the medicine den with her brother, Ratpaw, and her mother, Bramblestripe, as she rests with her new kit, Oakkit. The family talks about Reedfur with a few others in the den. Olivepaw mentions that it must be hard, especially considering what had happened to Waterkit, but Bramblestripe quickly cuts her off. Olivepaw leaves and sits beside Cedarpaw, trying to comfort him, but the only thing the tom says is "Dead," over and over.**

**Yeah, uh, in case you didn't know, I like to include little recaps, just to keep the story fresh in everyone's mind (:**

**Here we go!**

Chapter 2

_An Encounter_

[Ratpaw]

It was a beautiful day, and though it was sunny and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, it was still freezing.

Through the snow marched several cats, heads bent low and ears flattened against the icy winds. Winding through the pine trees they went, none of them- other than two particular apprentices- were saying much.

Ratpaw had been selected to go on a border patrol that morning, and he'd been glad to get out of camp. Though it had been a whole week since Reedfur's death, it was obvious that it would take the Clan a while to get over it, and he didn't care much for the depressing vibe that was being given off by nearly every cat there.

Leading the group were two cats; one was his mentor, Furzetail, a skinny white she-cat with several black patches. The other was a large white tom named Icewhisker, who was blending in perfectly with the snow- unlike Ratpaw's dark gray pelt.

Cheerily trotting behind the tom were two other apprentices- sisters Frostpaw and Snowpaw. They kept whispering and giggling to each other, and whenever Ratpaw would look back at them, they would just smile innocently. They were Furzetail's daughters, and the mother was constantly telling them to keep it down during the whole patrol.

"Hey, Ratpaw," chimed Frostpaw as she ran up to the tom's left side. He looked at her, smiling politely.

"What is it, Frostpaw?"

"Snowpaw has something to tell you."

"No, I don't!" wined the other, running up to his right side. She shot a grin at him. "But _Frostpaw_ does."

"Nuh-_uh,"_ meowed the other, glaring at her sister before a grin crept onto her face.

Ratpaw blinked, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Uh...?"

"Frostpaw likes you!" blurted out Snowpaw before she smiled, innocently widening her eyes in fake surprise. "What? Oopsies, did I just say that out loud?"

"So not true!" protested Frostpaw, mouth hanging open. "As if!"

Ratpaw blinked a few times, but before he could say anything, the two sisters broke into a sudden fit of laughter before they ran up ahead of him, playfully batting at each other.

"Snowpaw, Frostpaw, please quiet down," begged an exasperated Furzetail. "It's still morning. You might wake up WindClan across the lake."

"Oops," whispered Snowpaw, smiling broadly. Then, at the same time, the two of them chimed, "Sorry, Mama!" Meanwhile, Ratpaw could tell that Icewhisker was trying to keep his sanity as he rigidly lashed his tail back and forth in a mechanical manner.

"Furzetail," began Ratpaw, trying to change the subject, "have you heard anything about who will be attending the Gathering tonight?"

"Not a thing," the she-cat admitted, head lowered slightly as she trudged along through the snow. She looked over her shoulder, sending the apprentice a quick smile. "I'm sure that Minnowstar will select you, though, Ratpaw. You've been progressing superbly with your training. You and your sister will be warriors in no time."

"Hey, _I_ wanna be a warrior, too," wined Frostpaw. "Me and Snowpaw are older than Ratpaw and Olivepaw! How come we're still apprentices?"

Ratpaw could have sworn that he heard Icewhisker mutter something under his breath about he and his sister being, at least, less annoying, but he could have been imagining it.

"With an attitude like that, you'll never be a warrior," Furzetail sighed. "And maybe if you stopped putting off your duties or didn't make Cedarpaw clean out the elders' den instead of you..."

"What?" gasped Frostpaw, eyes huge. "I never made Cedarpaw clean out the elders' den!"

"Oh, there was only that one time two moons ago," Snowpaw began, tilting her head as she tried to think, "and that other time when Silvermist was mad at you so you wanted to avoid her, and that _other_ time when-" the she-cat was put to an abrupt stop when her sister roughly shoved her.

"I hope you're not doing that anymore," their mother murmured. "Cedarpaw has a lot to deal with, right now."

"As if I don't know that," muttered Frostpaw. "I've been really nice to him, you know. I even gave him my leftovers last night. I don't think he ate them, though..."

"Your... leftovers?" snorted Snowpaw loudly. "Wow, how kind. Who _wouldn't_ want to eat scraps of food you've already slobbered all over?"

"Snowpaw, Frostpaw, _please,"_ meowed Furzetail. "We're almost at the ThunderClan border."

The five cats continued traveling through the snow, and Ratpaw's growling stomach reminded him of how hungry he was. But lately he found that there usually wasn't enough food for him to eat lunch, so he'd probably have to wait until dinner. He tried not to think about it.

The distinct scent of ThunderClan began to wrap itself around the cats. Up ahead, Ratpaw could see where the trees parted to make way for the small Twoleg path that divided the two Clans. He remembered that when he was a kit, ThunderClan and ShadowClan were often fighting about territories, and the border had changed places quite a few times. It was agreed that the path should remain as the border, and there hadn't been any dispute about it since.

The cats emerged from a clump of snowy ferns, stepping onto the path. The Twolegs seemed to only use it during Greenleaf, so it was still covered in snow, not even visible. Ratpaw looked to the right, his eyes going down the trail, tall trees on either side. He knew that it lead down to the lake. He looked to the left; he hadn't been too far down there, and he was a bit curious as to what lay a bit further out, beyond the territory.

"Whatcha thinkin' about, Ratpaw?" a voice called in his ear. He jumped a bit, turning to see Snowpaw and Frostpaw, grinning at him and blinking in unison.

"Nothing," he murmured, tacking on a smile. "Just thinking about dinner."

"Already?" purred Snowpaw. "You're _always_ hungry, aren't you, Ratpaw?"

"Hey, a tom's gotta eat," pointed out Frostpaw, licking a paw.

"Quiet down, you two," Furzetail meowed again. "I think I smell a ThunderClan patrol coming."

"Me, too," Icewhisker confirmed, his sturdy white head lifted into the air. "They're definitely coming this way."

"Ooh, this is so exciting," Frostpaw whispered to the other apprentices. "I wonder who it is?"

"Calm down, it's just a patrol," Snowpaw snorted. Frostpaw shot her a glare.

A few moments later, three cats appeared from the trees on the other side of the snowy path. The first was a tall, lean she-cat, her short, pale gray pelt neat and recently cleaned. This was Sagewhisker, ThunderClan's deputy. Another was a light brown tabby tom with rather short legs and bright amber eyes. This was Bumbleclaw. Ratpaw had heard that this tom had once been a kittypet, but he'd ran away from his comfortable life, and ThunderClan had let him in. It seemed as if that was all ThunderClan did, anymore. The last cat was a small ginger she-cat named Russetpaw.

The deputy's head was held high as she studied the ShadowClan group, her face nearly expressionless. The warrior stood beside her, looking at them curiously, while the apprentice stood a few feet behind, shyly avoiding their gazes. Ratpaw noticed that they were all quite thin, and could see all of their ribs. But he supposed that it wasn't just them; Leafbare was hard on everyone.

"Hello, Sagewhisker," Furzetail meowed, bowing her head. She nodded to the other two. "Bumbleclaw, Russetpaw."

Sagewhisker flicked her tail, not returning the gesture. She simply gave a small, curt nod, her eyes cold.

"Greetings, Furzetail."

"How are things in ThunderClan?" persisted the ShadowClan she-cat, attempting to keep the conversation going.

As she spoke, Ratpaw caught the gaze of the apprentice several taillengths in front of him. She looked at him, green eyes sparkling with just a bit of curiosity before she sheepishly turned her head away. Ratpaw blinked, tilting his head slightly.

"They're fine, Furzetail," replied Sagewhisker. "But sadly, we've no time for idle chat. We need to get back to our patrol."

Ratpaw's mentor flicked her ear, before asking, "I haven't seen or heard from Honeystar in quite a while. Is everything alright?"

Ratpaw could have sworn that he saw the ThunderClan deputy wince, just a little, though it could have been his imagination. But he noticed that Bumbleclaw was lowering his head, slightly, and Russetpaw was looking back and forth between her two Clanmates, looking slightly anxious. The black tom narrowed his eyes just a bit; was there something going on with ThunderClan's leader?

"Yes, Furzetail, everything is fine. Now if you'll excuse us." The deputy turned, nodding to the others before flicking a tail and leading them back into the forest. Russetpaw glanced back at Ratpaw, who blinked, watching her curiously. The she-cat quickly turned away and followed behind the others.

When they'd disappeared from view, Furzetail let out a long sigh, shaking her head slightly.

"Sagewhisker can be so disagreeable."

"She seems like a good deputy, though," Icewhisker pointed out. "She's only being protective of her Clan."

"Something's not right, though," she murmured, her voice dropping into a whisper. Ratpaw wasn't sure if he was supposed to hear. "They all reacted strangely when I asked about Honeystar."

"It's probably nothing," grunted the white tom. "And anyway, it's none of our business. It's not our job to deal with whatever goes on in their Clan. Besides, don't forget that the Gathering is tonight. We'll see Honeystar there."

Furzetail nodded, though she didn't look fully convinced. After a pause, she quickly shook her head.

"Come on, Ratpaw, Snowpaw, Frostpaw. Let's keep going." The apprentices all silently glanced at each other, all of them thinking the same thing. But they followed after the two warriors, and within a few minutes, Furzetail had to keep reminding her daughters to keep quiet again.

**Sorry, I know it's a bit short. The chapters will be getting longer once we get further into the story. (:**

**It would be lovely if you could drop a review (; Ratpaw plushies for all!**

**Till next time,**

**Pearly**


	4. Chapter 3: The Light of the Moon

**Well, I was _supposed_ to upload this Sunday, but the Document Uploader or whatever wasn't letting me upload things from Word. I just tried converting the file to HTML and it worked question mark? Whatever, it's here now (: If anything got messed up in the process, uhh, well I'm too lazy to reread this chapter again so whatever ooops.  
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**Recap: Ratpaw is on a patrol with Furzetail, Icewhisker, Snowpaw, and Frostpaw. At the ThunderClan border, they meet with a ThunderClan patrol- Sedgewhisker, the deputy, Bumbleclaw, a warrior, and Russetpaw, an apprentice. Furzetail mentions that she hasn't seen or heard from Honeystar in a while, and the ThunderClan cats all tense up, but after a moment, Sedgewhisker says that she's fine. They leave, and Ratpaw hears Furzetail talking to Icewhisker, wondering if something's wrong with Honeystar.**

Chapter 3

_The Light of the Moon_

[Snowpaw]

"Now, Snowpaw! Dodge to the side!"

Biting her lip, the young white she-cat leaped to the left as Olivepaw ran forward, raising a paw as she prepared to strike. Having avoided the blow, Snowpaw now sprang forward with a high-pitched squeal, knocking her opponent into the snow. She put her paws against the other she-cat's soldiers, grinning down at her.

"Gotcha, Olivepaw!"

The dark brown she-cat looked up at her, whiskers twitching a bit, not saying anything.

Observing the fight were two toms, one a brown tabby and the other, black. They stepped forward, the black one smiling with approval.

"Good job, Snowpaw."

The white cat purred loudly at the praise, taking a step back and letting Olivepaw to her feet.

"Thank you, Ravenheart," she replied to her mentor, bowing a little and still grinning broadly. She didn't hear Olivepaw snort.

Weaselfoot, the other tom, watched the two, tail flicking. He let his green eyes rest on his own apprentice.

"Olivepaw," he said, "if you're caught in a position like this, it might be possible to kick out your back legs into your opponent's stomach. Try that next time."

"Yes, Weaselfoot," the cat muttered under her breath.

Ravenheart lifted his head; it was getting late. Already the sun was close to setting; the sky was a beautiful mix of reds and oranges and yellows, the tall, pointed silhouettes of the pine trees vividly contrasting it. Snowpaw felt a shiver run down her spine, not just from the cold but also because she remembered that the Gathering was tonight. She flexed her claws in anticipation; she hadn't been to one in what felt like years (but was actually only two moons). But she had managed to impress her mentor, so surely he would recommend her to Minnowstar, right? She deserved it.

"We should head back," Weaselfoot said, reading the other tom's thoughts. "The apprentices need to eat and rest for the Gathering." He looked at Snowpaw and Olivepaw. "If, of course, you're even coming." Snowpaw shot a glance at the other she-cat, who looked at her out of the corner of her eye before turning away, a small frown on her face. Snowpaw shrugged and straightened up, shaking her pelt.

"Well, let's go, then!" she said, tail and head held high. The toms looked at each other and nodded, beginning to lead the way through the snow and back towards camp.

As they walked, Snowpaw looked over at Olivepaw, who was clearly trying to avoid her gaze. The white she-cat flicked her tail and ran up to her.

"Good match today, Olivepaw," she purred. The other opened her mouth to say something, but Snowpaw quickly cut in, "Don't feel bad that you lost. I _am_ older and more experienced, after all."

"Sorry, I'm not in the mood to talk," replied Olivepaw, keeping her gaze in front. "My throat's a bit sore."

Snowpaw, of course, didn't hear the onvious sarcasm in her voice.

"Oh, no! Are you getting a cold or something? You know, Leafbare is the _worst_ time to be sick. Luckily, I _never_ get sick in Leafbare, but maybe _you..."_ She broke off when she realized that Olivepaw had ran forward a few foxlengths and was now blatantly ignoring her. Snowpaw narrowed her eyes, mildly insulted before she lifted her chin up high.

Soon, the scents and sounds of ShadowClan wafted through the air, and Snowpaw smiled to herself, feeling happy and confident.

The sun was almost completely set, only a few traces of light still left in the sky as, one by one, stars became visible. The cold air flew past as very slowly, the sun disappeared beneath the horizon. It only took a few minutes before it was completely dark, other than the light given off by the large, full moon that hung in the sky.

The four cats trotted down the shallow, snowy slope and into camp, low-hanging branches overhead. Snowpaw paused, looking around. Most of the Clan was outside, eating whatever food they'd found as they all talked anxiously among themselves about the Gathering. Pricking her ears, she saw as Olivepaw trotted over to Cedarpaw, Ratpaw and Frostpaw; flicking her tail, she went over to join her fellow apprentices.

"Hey, guys!" she purred. Frostpaw lit up when she saw her sister and hastily walked over to stand beside her. Cedarpaw was sitting down, tail wrapped around his paws, ears flattened as he said not a word. Olivepaw was beside him, a small, worried frown on her face as she looked expressionlessly at Snowpaw. Ratpaw, who sat on the other side of Cedarpaw, looked up at the white she-cat, smiling politely.

"Hello, Snowpaw," he said. "Did you and Olivepaw have a good training session?"

"It was brilliant," she purred, sending a glance at Olivepaw, whose whiskers twitched. Snowpaw shot her a smug grin before turning back to the black tom. "I think I'm going to be a warrior soon."

"Well, if _you_ are," said Frostpaw, "then _I'd_ better be, too!" Snowpaw rolled her eyes, and Ratpaw cut in before a potential argument could start.

"So, guys," he said, addressing the whole group, "do you think you'll be selected for the Gathering?"

Cedarpaw didn't say a word; in fact, it hardly looked like he was even paying attention. He was just staring out into space, his jaw hanging open slightly, his tail twitching every now and then. Olivepaw frowned and moved closer to him so their pelts were brushing. She said nothing, either.

Snowpaw stared at them, an eyebrow raised. Snorting softly, she turned back to the handsome black tom and smiled widely. "Well, I don't know," she said, trying to act modest. It lasted for about a second. "But I _think_ I'll be chosen. I've been doing really well with my training. Just ask Ravenheart."

"Attention!" came a loud voice, and Snowpaw lifted her head to see the tall, lean shape of Minnowstar, standing on a large stump, narrowed eyes darting about and gleaming in the moonlight. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, join beneath the Tallstump for a Clan meeting."

Snowpaw smiled at the other apprentices, her eyes wide in excitement. "She's gonna announce who's going!" she said in a not-so-quiet whisper.

Cats were gathering around, all of them talking eagerly to each other as they lifted their heads, waiting for the news. Minnowstar lashed her tail for silence, her eyes resting on her Clan.

"It is time to announce who shall be attending tonight's Gathering," she said. She looked down at the foot of the stump, where her deputy, Harestep, sat. He was a long-legged tom with big amber eyes and a pelt of light brown. The leader then looked over at the back of the crowd. There, Willowfall sat alone, her face expressionless. Minnowstar raised her head. "Harestep and Willowfall will, of course, be attending, just as always. The following cats will also be attending." Snowpaw held her breath. "...Emberheart, Furzetail, Icewhisker, Swallowflight, Ravenheart, Owlwing, Cinderblaze, Ratpaw, Olivepaw, and Snowpaw."

Snowpaw let out a shaky breath, a huge smile on her face as she began to tremble in excitement. Beside her, Frostpaw's eyes were wide with disbelief, and she whispered into her sister's ear, "How come _you_ get to go, and not _me?"_

Snowpaw looked over at her, shrugging gleefully.

"Maybe next time!"

"The sun has set," continued Minnowstar, "and the moon is full. We will leave immediately. If the selected cats can gather here, we will be on our way."

Snowpaw leaped to her paws, tail up high. She looked over at Ratpaw, not sending Olivepaw another glance.

"Didja hear that, Ratpaw? We're both going!"

"Yeah," he said quietly, tilting his head as he looked at the other apprentices. "Well, I guess we should go. See you later, Frostpaw and Cedarpaw." Neither of the two said anything.

The chosen cats began to gather around their leader, their heads bent low against the increasingly cold air, but excitement still flickering through their eyes. Well, through most of their eyes. Snowpaw glanced around, looking at the different cats. She saw Swallowflight standing at the back of the crowd, talking to no one, her green eyes lowered. The apprentice wasn't sure if this cat had even left camp since her mate had died last week. Maybe it was good that she was getting out.

She saw her mother, Furzetail, talking to Icewhisker, small smiles on both of their faces. They seemed to be particularly friendly to each other, lately, and Snowpaw didn't quite know why. Owlwing padded over to them, her light brown fur a bit ruffled, her amber eyes wide in excitement. She had only become a warrior a moon or two ago. Cinderblaze and Ravenheart were chatting a few taillengths away.

Harestep was standing next to Minnowstar, the two of them talking. It took Snowpaw a moment to find Willowfall, but then, she saw her, standing a distance away from everybody. She watched as Emberheart looked over at the medicine cat, and for some reason, Snowpaw could feel a surge of tension between them, even from several foxlengths away. Everyone else seemed oblivious.

But she shrugged it away, assuming it was nothing.

Seeing that Olivepaw and Ratpaw had already joined the crowd and were now whispering to each other, Snowpaw ran up to join them, a grin on her face.

"Very well," Minnowstar's voice sounded. "We will be off. I expect all cats remaining here to continue with your duties and to protect the camp while we're gone." She turned to the crowd and flicked her tail. "Let's go."

Snowpaw smiled, another chill going down her spine as her leader lead them up the shallow slope and towards RiverClan.

They walked through the snowy forest, the moon shining through the pine trees to give them at least a little light. Most of the warriors were talking to one another, asking each other what they thought would be announced at the Gathering and who they thought would be there. Swallowflight, Emberheart, and Willowfall seemed to keep to themselves, and Minnowstar and Harestep were also walking in silence, side by side.

The apprentices walked in the back, Snowpaw continually blabbing to the others about anything that entered her head.

"I missed last moon's Gathering," she said, trotting through the cold snow. "I'm really excited for this one's."

"Snowpaw, do you remember the patrol we went on today?" asked Ratpaw, looking at her as he walked. "When we saw Sagewhisker and those others?"

"Of course!" Snowpaw purred, though she hadn't given it another thought all day. "What about it?"

Ratpaw glanced at Olivepaw, who was looking at him curiously.

"Well, didn't you think that something felt off? When Furzetail asked about Honeystar, they all tensed up. I think something's... wrong. Furzetail thought so, too. I heard her talking to Icewhisker about it."

"What do you think could be wrong?" Olivepaw murmured.

Her brother shrugged. "I don't know. But I'm thinking that we might find out tonight."

Snowpaw tilted her head slightly. She hadn't really noticed anything, but maybe he was right.

The trees soon began to thin out, and moments later, the cats broke out of the pine forest as they stepped across the small Thunderpath dividing ShadowClan and RiverClan. Snowpaw now had a clear view of the lake, and she paused for a moment to admire it. The cool water rippled softly, distorting the bright silver reflection of the moon just slightly. In this light, she could even see all the way to the other side, out at the moors of WindClan. And if she looked closely, she could recognize the large trees on the island in the distance, where they would soon be meeting with the other Clans.

Realizing that she had gotten behind, Snowpaw shook herself and quickly leaped after the crowd.

As they walked past the dock, she felt yet another shiver run down her spine- but this time, it wasn't because of the cold, or even because of the excitement that she'd barely been able to contain. It was because every time she walked past this place, she would remember that story- _the _story- of Graystar. Though she'd never met her, she knew that she'd been the leader of ShadowClan, and Minnowstar's mother. She'd heard that last Leafbare, she had suddenly disappeared, and after having searched for a week, they finally found her washed up on the shore right by the dock. Actually, she recalled that it had been a couple of RiverClan apprentices that had found her while playing one day. No one ever knew what exactly had happened. Snowpaw had been told that at one point, some cats had even been suspicious that it was a murder, but of course there hadn't been any evidence. And so, everyone dropped it and forgot about it like it had never happened.

And though Snowpaw hadn't even been born yet, she hadn't forgotten the stories. Perhaps she was the only one.

She shook her head. This wasn't the time to be thinking of these sort of things. She was going to a Gathering! She gave her pelt a few quick licks and continued to walk with the other apprentices, her head held high.

The walk to the island was a short stroll through RiverClan territory, through the nearly frozen reeds and tiny streams and rocks. The shape of the island was growing nearer and nearer, and soon, Snowpaw thought she could hear the voices of other Clans.

A minute later, Minnowstar flicked her tail, and the crowd came to a stop. Snowpaw's eyes widened, a smile broadening on her face as she looked up at the island just foxlengths away. After a moment, the leader nodded and turned, leaping up onto the log bridge that connected the island with the mainland.

Cats carefully stepped across, one by one, careful to keep their balance and not fall into the icy waters. Snowpaw had at her first Gathering, but luckily it had been during Greenleaf and it was on the way back, so she didn't have to sit through the entire thing soaking wet.

The apprentices remained on the mainland. Olivepaw took a step forward to cross, but Snowpaw quickly trotted forward, cutting her off and leaping onto the log. She'd done this before, and she no longer had to worry about falling in. Keeping her head and tail high, she nimbly made her way across, jumping down onto the island and landing neatly on her feet. She grinned over at the siblings; Olivepaw was glaring at her and muttering something beneath her breath before she climbed up, too, Ratpaw right behind.

The ShadowClanners marched forward, passing through a few dead, snowy bushes. They emerged into a clearing, and Snowpaw widened her eyes as she gazed at all the cats, who were now all curiously turning towards them. WindClan and RiverClan were already there. They were mostly sitting with their own Clan members, though a few were mingling with others.

In the middle of the island stood a huge tree, and on steady branches sat two cats. One was was a small, scrawny tom with a pelt of very pale orange and bright green eyes. This was Greenstar, WindClan's leader. The other was a sleek white she-cat who had one blue eye and another of amber. This was RiverClan's leader, Blossomstar. Minnowstar made her way up the tree as well, taking her usual spot on a branch.

Sitting on the roots of the tree were their deputies-... Snowpaw blinked. She saw WindClan's deputy, Barkfall, but where was RiverClan's?

"Hey, Ratpaw!" she whispered into the tom's ear as ShadowClan cats began to sit down or greet other Clan cats. "Where's Antnose?"

He lifted his head and looked around, raising his eyebrows after a moment.

"That's a good question. I don't see him."

"He _was_ getting old," Snowpaw murmured, tilting her head. "Maybe he finally kicked the bucket." Ratpaw flinched, looking around to make sure no one had heard.

Noticing that the black tom was now staring at something, Snowpaw followed his gaze, seeing that little ginger she-cat from that morning, standing by herself as she looked around. What was her name? Russetpaw?

"I remember her," Snowpaw said, causing to Ratpaw to jump a bit. "Why're you staring at her? She's not even that-"

"I wasn't staring at her," the tom said, lashing his tail. "I just..."

He broke off as his eyes wandered elsewhere, and Snowpaw turned to see as cats were beginning to emerge from the snowy undergrowth from the tree bridge. The smell of ThunderClan wafted through the air, and everyone now watched as these cats filed in, one by one. And leading them was... most definitely _not_ Honeystar. It was Sagewhisker.

The crowd fell almost completely silent as they watched these cats sit down, making way for Sagewhisker as she walked past them, her head held high. No one dared ask any questions, though everyone was thinking the same thing.

The deputy took her spot beside Harestep and Barkfall, but she stayed standing. Looking around, she called, "It seems that everyone is here, and we may begin."

Minnowstar narrowed her eyes a bit as she looked down at this she-cat. "The last _I_ checked, Sagewhisker, you had no right to decide when Gatherings begin. Will you spare us all the drama and tell us where Honeystar is?"

"She had something to do," the deputy replied coolly, meeting the leader's gaze unflinchingly. "She couldn't come."

"What do you mean, she couldn't come?" insisted Barkfall, her eyes round with worry. "Is everything alright?"

Greenstar leaned forward. "Has she become ill?"

"Everything is fine," growled Sagewhisker.

"This is ridiculous," grunted Minnowstar. "If she's fine, then everyone here deserves an explanation as to why she is not present at the moon's most important event. _Where _is Honeystar?"

"She was caught up in personal business," Sagewhisker hissed, her patience apparently growing thin. "I am not at liberty to discuss her private life with you. She apologizes for her absence and wishes us all well."

Cats were looking at each other, some obviously not convinced. But Sagewhisker didn't let the silence continue on for long. Lashing her tail, she said, "May we please begin this Gathering?"

"Very well," Minnowstar said, "then _I_ will begin, seeing as it is the job of a _leader_ to share the news of her Clan at a Gathering." Sagewhisker pulled her lips back slightly, but said nothing. The ShadowClan leader looked out over the crowd.

"As some of you may have already heard, Reedfur died last week." A few shocked gasps were heard around the island; almost every cat knew and respected Reedfur. "Sadly, he was found to have drowned in the stream. I know many of you may have known him and were close to him, but know that he is watching us from StarClan and that he will never be forgotten." Several cats bowed their heads sadly; when Snowpaw saw Olivepaw and Ratpaw do it, she did, too.

"Despite this loss, ShadowClan has been thriving. We are finding enough food and have been managing quite well through this Leafbare. Things have been peaceful with the other Clans, as well, and we hope to keep it that way." She bowed her head, signaling that she was done.

A few moments of silence passed before Greenstar lifted his head.

"WindClan has also been doing well," he said, his strange round face looking about. "We've had a few illnesses, but nothing bad. Smallkit and Goosekit have become apprentices, and..." He went on for quite some time about other little things that no one really cared about. Or at least nothing that Snowpaw cared about.

When he was done, Blossomstar lifted her head, her mismatching eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "I've an announcement to make," she said. "Antnose, our deputy, has retired and has joined the elders to live the rest of his life in peace." A few cats murmured in surprise, though honestly, many had been expecting this for a while. Snowpaw glanced around; who was the new deputy?

"I have chosen a new deputy, of course," she continued, "and I will now ask him to step forward."

The crowd fell silent and looked around, curious.

A second later, Blossomstar announced, "RiverClan's new deputy is Blacktail."

A few cats let out cheers as the large black tom stepped forward, leaping onto a root to join the other deputies. Snowpaw let out a cheer, partly because he seemed like a good deputy and mostly because she just liked to yell.

Glancing around to see her Clanmates' reactions, she spotted Willowfall and tilted her head a bit at the medicine cat's reaction. She was sitting stiffly, the tip of her tail anxiously flicking back and forth, a small frown on her face. Something darted darkly through her eyes, and her whiskers twitched. Snowpaw blinked softly, but decided, again, to not give it too much thought.

The new deputy dipped his sturdy head, his green eyes gazing upon the crowd.

Only a few more words were said before the announcements were finished, and the Clans were now free to mingle. Snowpaw leaped to her paws, looking around for any other apprentices to talk to. She pricked her ears, spotting two from WindClan- Mistypaw and Yellowpaw. She'd talked to them a few times before.

She bounded over to them, greeting the two gray cats with a smile.

"Hey, guys!"

The cats turned to her, blue and yellow eyes gleaming as they smiled.

"Snowpaw!" purred Yellowpaw. "What's up?"

"Not much," she responded, licking a paw. "What's up with you guys? How's WindClan?"

"It's fine," mewed Mistypaw. "The new apprentices are both pretty annoying to deal with, though. In my opinion, the first moon you're an apprentice, you're really still a kit. I... Snowpaw? Are you listening?"

Snowpaw had been staring at Willowfall as she approached Blacktail. She was curiously watching as the medicine cat lowered her head, talking to the other quietly. She blinked and quickly turned back to Mistypaw, grinning lopsidedly.

"Of course I'm listening," she laughed. "New apprentices. Yeah. They're annoying, all right. When're you guys becoming warriors?"

"We should be in about a moon," purred Yellowpaw. "What about you?"

"I'm not too sure," admitted Snowpaw. "I haven't really been keeping track. In a moon or two, I think."

They chatted a bit longer about this and that, but soon enough, Minnowstar announced to her Clan that it was time to go. Giving a quick goodbye to the two apprentices, Snowpaw turned and caught up with her Clan, running up to Ratpaw and Olivepaw.

"D'you guys have fun?" she asked, smiling.

"Yes," Ratpaw said absently, his mind seemingly on something else. Olivepaw flicked an ear, not bothering to respond. Snowpaw looked at the tom curiously, but didn't say anything. It had been fun, but still, something was nagging at her... Two things, actually. At first, she hadn't been too concerned about either, but they wouldn't leave her mind, however hard she tried to make them. The first was Honeystar and her mysterious absence, and the other... was the way that Willowfall had reacted to the announcement of RiverClan's new deputy, and the way she had quietly spoken to him afterwards.

She shook her head, once again trying to focus on something else as she walked across the fallen tree bridge, the moonlight in her eyes as she tried to happily trot along...

**Sorry. I'm really spacey slash tired slash trying to think of all the work I have do to before tomorrow oops. It's Fanfiction's fault, not mine.**

**Well, there you have your little peak into Snowpaw's world. It's definitely... interesting? Well, she'll be back soon. She'll definitely be back... (;**

**Reviewreviewreview? Pleasepleaseplease (: Snowpaw plushies for all! They squeak when you hug 'em (:**

**Oh, and I told you my chapters would get longer! Huhuhu(:**

**Also since this wasn't uploading for like a week I'm almost done with Chapter 4 oops. That'll be up soon(:  
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**Till next time!**

**Pearly**


	5. Chapter 4: Little Secrets

**Wait, what? Pearly, updating in _less than a week?_ Stop wondering who I am and what I've done with the real Pearly. It's me, I swear! Like I said, since the uploader thing wasn't uploading, this chappie was almost finished by the time I got it to work. I'm kinda proud I usually suck at updating. (:**

**Recap: Snowpaw battle trains with Olivepaw, then they head back and learn who's going to the Gathering that night. Snowpaw is thrilled that she's going, but her sister, Frostpaw, who isn't going, complains. The Clan goes to the island, and as they pass by the dock, Snowpaw thinks about the stories she's heard of Graystar, and how she was found to have drowned after disappearing for a week. The cats arrive at the island; WindClan and RiverClan are already there. Snowpaw notices that the RiverClan deputy, Antnose, isn't present. She sees Ratpaw staring at Gingerpaw, who they'd seen on the patrol earlier that morning. ThunderClan soon comes in, Sagewhisker leading the group. Minnowstar asks her where Honeystar is, and the deputy responds that she was caught up in personal issues and couldn't make it, though some cats are obviously skeptical. Minnowstar starts the announcements, saying that Reedfur is dead. Greenstar, the WindClan leader, goes on about things that no one really cares about. Blossomstar, the RiverClan leader, says that Antnose has retired, and that her new deputy is Blacktail. Snowpaw notices that Willowfall reacts strangely to this news. Snowpaw later talks to some WindClan apprentices, and then ShadowClan leaves, and Snowpaw wonders what's up with Honeystar and Willowfall.**

**That was a really long recap I don't even.**

Chapter 4

_Little Secrets_

[Willowfall]

Two days had passed since the Gathering. Two days that Willowfall had spent waiting anxiously for the promise she would think about before going sleep every night. But now, the sun was setting, and it would only be a matter of time before she went to that place. _The _place. _Their_ _place._

She stepped outside the medicine den; it was snowing, the thick clouds blocking out the last moments of the sun. Snow quickly clung to her whiskers and long, light gray pelt, and she blinked softly, observing the nearly empty camp. Only a few warriors remained outside, as well as Cedarpaw, who sat alone on the far side of the hollow, staring into nothing as he had been doing every day since his father's death.

The she-cat looked over at where the freshkill pile was, seeing that there was only one scrawny sparrow left. Her stomach growling, she stepped forward, paws sinking a little in the cold snow as she made her way over.

She stopped when she got there, her eyes glued to the prey, when suddenly an orange paw appeared, covering the bird. Willowfall looked up to see Emberheart standing across from her, pale green eyes cold and narrowed as she pulled her lips back slightly.

"Oh, were _you_ going to take this sparrow?" she asked the medicine cat, whiskers twitching. "Sorry, but it's mine. Only the ones who actually do their jobs are allowed to eat." She pulled the sparrow towards her, her claws sinking into it.

The medicine cat lashed her tail, eyes narrowed just the slightest bit.

"I have been _nothing_ but kind to you," she said slowly, watching the warrior impatiently. "_Nothing._ What happened with Badgerkit was a _year_ ago."

"He would have been a warrior now," Emberheart hissed, though still careful to keep quiet and not attract the attention of anyone else. "It makes _no_ difference how much time has passed. The fact remains that you _murdered_ my son-"

"I made a _mistake,"_ growled Willowfall, lips pulled back a bit. "I _know_ that."

"It was a _stupid_ mistake," retorted the ginger she-cat, claws sinking deeper into the sparrow. "Even a _kit_ could see that those weren't the symptoms of a fever."

"Then why couldn't _you_, Emberheart?" shot back Willowfall, her voice rising. "I'm not _perfect_ like you, alright? It was an _accident. _You're blaming this _all_ on me-"

"Because it was _your_ fault!" hissed the other, voice ringing through the air.

"You think you're the _only_ one who lost something because of this?" yelled back Willowfall. By now, their argument had caught the attention of a few cats, who were now staring at them, heads tilted in confusion. The she-cats looked around, lowering their voices, and when Emberheart looked back at Willowfall, she whispered, "And you have the _nerve_ to call yourself a medicine cat." She lashed her tail, and before the other could reply, she added, "I hope you know that I will _never_ forget what you did to my son, and I will _never_ forgive you."

Without another word, she picked up the sparrow in her jaws, swiftly turning away before disappearing into the warriors' den. Willowfall swallowed as she watched her leave, her fur a bit fluffed up as she now tried to ignore the growls of her stomach. Digging her claws in the snow, she stood there for a few moments, finally shaking her head as she murmured something inaudible under her breath.

A cold chill swept by, and the medicine cat shivered, lifting her head, watching as snow silently fell from the thick clouds above. It was dark, now.

Glancing around, she trotted over to the edge of camp, silently making her way up the shallow slope. She really didn't care if anyone saw. They were probably all assuming that she was going to find food or whatever herbs were available during Leafbare. Taking a deep breath, she began through the dark forest, hoping she wouldn't get lost. But how could she? She'd gone this way so many times that she could do it with her eyes closed.

She felt like she hadn't seen him in... moons. And at the Gathering two nights before, when Blossomstar had announced that he was the new deputy... And the way he'd stepped up onto the snowy root with the other deputies... It had caused some sort of pang in Willowfall's chest. She wanted to see him. She needed to. And he agreed.

So she walked through the snow, trembling just slightly as she tried to forget what Emberheart had said to her. And it certainly wasn't the first time she'd confronted her like that. She used to feel sorrow and pity for this she-cat- Badgerkit had been the only family she'd had left. But now, after so many moons, those feelings seemed to have vanished. Because dealing with accusations and glares and yelling can really only be endured for so long.

That incident felt like years ago, but at the same time, it also seemed like just yesterday. That kit ended up leading to so many things... like the "mysterious disappearance" of Graystar.

Willowfall shivered, keeping her head bent low. As much as she would have loved to curl up in her nest, she knew that she wouldn't have been able to sleep. She didn't seem to get much at all anymore.

She went on a bit longer, alone and cold, but trying not to think about either. She didn't really know what she was expecting by meeting him here. She just needed to see him again.

The scent of RiverClan was getting stronger. She was bluntly aware that her heart was beginning to beat faster, but she tried to ignore it. She took in a deep breath, stepping out of the pine forest and onto the small Thunderpath.

Looking around, she could see hardly a thing. The clouds were too thick. She _could_ see, faintly, as snow quietly fell, and she could hear the wind swaying the trees. Holding in a breath, she scampered across the road, continuing at a steady trot through the snow and wind and towards the dock that sat nearby.

She took her first step onto the halfbridge, squinting her eyes. He wasn't there, yet. She walked to the end of the dock, sitting down with a shiver as she wrapped her tail around her paws. All she could see was a dark, misty gray haze and thousands of snowflakes. She blinked softly, remembering the last time she'd come here. It was a long time ago.

A familiar scent wrapped itself around her, and her eyes widened, slightly. Before she could turn around, a deep voice murmured. "Hello... Sorry I'm late." Willowfall saw a flashback going through her mind. This was just like that time last year, when she'd come here with the news that she was expecting kits. But this time, it was colder.

Slightly hesitantly, she turned around. There he stood, his head and tail lifted high, his green eyes gazing at her, flecks of snow clinging to his black fur. He somehow had a different... air to him, now that he was deputy. But maybe the medicine cat was only imagining things.

"It's fine," she breathed, shaking her head softly. "You're hardly late at all."

He looked at her, a small frown on his face, his expression blank. After a moment, he let out a long sigh.

"Why did you want to see me, Willowfall?" he murmured.

She stared at him, slightly hurt from his blunt question. But she managed to whisper, "I just... I wanted to congratulate you on becoming deputy."

"Thank you," he said quietly, lowering his tail as he turned his head away. "I appreciate it."

"...How's RiverClan?" Willowfall rasped, her voice scratchy. She tried to hide her emotions, but she wasn't sure if it was working. "Are you-"

"Willowfall," Blacktail cut in, looking up at the sky and blatantly trying to avoid her gaze. "Why did you _really_ want to see me?"

She stared at him, mouth open slightly. She swallowed, looking away. Not turning to face him, she murmured, "I just feel like I haven't seen you in so long. I missed you-"

"I told you before that we have to stop meeting like this," he said, looking at her. "It's for the best."

"How can you say that and not think about what we had?" Willowfall murmured, finally lifting her head to face him. "We loved each other. We had _kits-"_

"That's in the _past,_ Willowfall," he said, his voice a bit harder this time. "And I _know_ that we had something. Something special." He flicked his tail, his voice dropping to a low mumble; "But everything comes to an end."

The medicine cat stared at him, shaking her head slightly. And suddenly, the word "Why?" slipped out from her lips.

"Because it wasn't _right_," insisted Blacktail, voice getting louder. "StarClan, you _killed Graystar_ because of all this-"

"It was for _us!"_ breathed Willowfall, her voice squeaking, eyes huge. "If I hadn't done something, our kits would have _died!"_

"Well, none of this would have ever happened if we'd ended it much sooner," murmured Blacktail.

Willowfall's whiskers twitched, and she again turned away, watching the snow fall. After a moment, she murmured, "Have you told anyone about her?"

"No," he muttered. "I promised you I wouldn't. And that's a promise I intend to keep... Even if we can never see each other anymore."

She looked at him. "You expect us to just keep living our lives like none of this ever happened? Like we never even _knew_ each other?"

"Yes," he said bluntly. "I do." He shook his head, taking a step back. "Willowfall, I have to go. You should, too." When the she-cat didn't responded, he added, "Have a good night, Willowfall. I'll see you at the next Gathering." And then he turned, padding away and quickly disappearing into the snowy darkness.

Willowfall stayed sitting there for a long time, staring at the place where her former mate had disappeared, hardly even feeling the cold anymore. She really was alone, wasn't she?

She turned, taking a few steps to the very end of the dock. She looked down into the black water, too dark to see her own reflection. She closed her eyes, letting out a shaky breath. All this time, she'd justified Graystar's death by saying that it was for the good of her kits, and for the good of her relationship with Blacktail. But it turned out that none of that even mattered. Both Blacktail and her kits were practically gone.

And the minute she realized this, the burden of Graystar's death suddenly came upon her shoulders with a force so great she let out a weak gasp. She'd killed her leader. And yes, no one ever talked about it anymore, but it would still be something she'd have to deal with for the rest of her life. One of her many little secrets.

She found that she was shaking. Looking down at the water, she wondered if she should jump in, too. Wouldn't it at least be fair to give herself the same fate she'd given Graystar?

No one needed her. Especially not Blacktail. And he was all that she had had to hang onto. Now, she had nothing.

She sucked in her breath and clenched her eyes shut. And before she could let herself think another thought, she stepped off of the snowy dock, felling nothing around her for half a second before she landed, with a splash, into the lake.

The water was so cold that she immediately opened her eyes with a start, beginning to wildly look around. Everything was black, everywhere she looked. She let out a breath, sending out bubbles. She thrashed her legs around, a sharp pain hitting her chest as air escaped from her lungs. She felt faint, her head pounding, heart beating in her chest as she fought the urge to swim to the surface. She let herself fall, clenching her eyes shut and desperately trying not to think about Blacktail.

A few seconds later, she could barely feel anything at all, and everything went dead silent. She pricked her ears, wondering if she was already dead. That was fast. Faster than she'd expected, anyway.

But when she opened her eyes, she was still floating there- but it didn't seem like she was floating in water; rather, she was floating in darkness, floating through nowhere. And before her she could see, very faintly, the small shape of a black and white cat. Willowfall narrowed her eyes. It... was getting closer. She didn't try to move. She wouldn't have been able to even if she'd wanted to.

From the darkness, very slowly, a cat marched towards her. No, not just a cat, but... a kit. Blue eyes wide, its pelt was glowing, slightly, neatly groomed. When it was only a few foxlengths away from the medicine cat, it sat down, wrapping its tiny tail beneath its paws, its fur seeming to sparkle.

"What're you doin'?" asked the kit curiously, tilting its head at her. Willowfall stared back, jaw hanging open. She shook her head the slightest bit.

"B-Badgerkit," she finally managed to stutter out. "Badgerkit, is that... Is that you?"

The kit nodded, blinking at her. He smiled a bit, showing tiny white teeth. "Hiya, Willowfall."

"I don't understand," Willowfall breathed, looking at this kit with awe. "What's going on? Am I dead?"

Badgerkit frowned, his ears flattening a little. "Well, no, not exactly. You're sorta... in between life n' death, I guess." When the medicine cat stared at him, nonplussed, the kit continued. "You were tryin' to kill yourself," he murmured, looking down at his paws. "But I didn't want you to."

"Badgerkit, it's my fault you're dead," whispered Willowfall. "It's because of _me."_

"Yeah," he said, lifting his gaze, eyes sparkling. He tilted his head. "But I don't blame you anymore. Everyone makes mistakes!" He smiled lopsidedly, before it immediately faded. He looked at his paws again, his voice dropping. "'Sides, I'm not like Mom." Willowfall looked at him, an image of Emberheart flashing through her mind.

The medicine cat sighed, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them. Staring at him, a question suddenly occurred to her, and she asked quietly, "Badgerkit, how exactly did you find those berries? The... 'bad red berries?'"

"Oh," he said, looking down. "Well, someone gave 'em to me and told me they were good."

Willowfall stared at him, eyes widening. "What?" she breathed. "Badgerkit, everyone learns that those are poisonous! The cat who gave them to you..."

"Wanted me dead," responded Badgerkit, his voice suddenly grave, his gaze hard. The medicine cat looked at him, a chill going through her spine, heart racing faster.

"But why?" she breathed, trembling slightly. "You're just a _kit!_ Who could possibly... Badgerkit, who _was_ it?"

The kit flinched a bit at this question and immediately turned his head away, looking out into the darkness.

"I... I'm scared," he whispered. "I'm scared that if I tell you, they'll find me."

"But you live with StarClan!" protested Willowfall. "You're safe there!"

"It's not that simple," he murmured, looking up at her. His eyes were wide, and for the first time, the she-cat could detect fear and desperation in them. And that made _her_ scared, too, because Badgerkit was too afraid to tell her, even though he was already dead.

"I gotta go," he suddenly murmured, looking down before quickly glancing back up. "Willowfall, I stopped you from dying 'cause you need to keep living. No matter what happens, you can't give up! That's... what Mom used to tell me." He flicked a tiny ear, getting to his paws. A small smile crept onto his face. "Besides, you're important. I... overheard some older StarClan cats talkin' about it. I don't really know what they meant, but you _gotta_ live."

"What do you mean?" Willowfall pressed. "What did they say...?"

But by then, the tiny, starlit kit was already beginning to fade. He was grinning a little, waving his tail.

"Bye, Willowfall," he squeaked, growing fainter and fainter until he had vanished into the darkness from which he'd appeared. The medicine cat blinked in awe, completely surrounded in blackness. She closed her eyes, and the next minute, they flew open.

The feeling of cold water rushed through her, and she quickly looked around, thrashing her legs. Glancing up, she could faintly see just a little bit of light at the surface. The image of Badgerkit burned into her mind, she began to swim upwards, using the last of her strength, ignoring the pain in her chest, the ache in her head, and the utter chill in her bones.

A moment later, she broke the surface. Flailing and splashing her paws, the medicine cat hungrily sucked in a breath before violently coughing and spluttering, struggling to keep her head about the surface. She fought to swim back towards land, now underneath the dock, frigid cold surrounding her. A few moments later, she felt land beneath her paws, and she managed to drag herself to the shore. Right beneath the halfbridge was a bit of land, and she collapsed there.

She took a few moments to cough and pant, shivering as the water peacefully lapped against the ground a taillength away. She lifted her head, but she couldn't find the strength to bring herself to her paws. So she stayed there, hidden beneath the dock, trying to figure out what had just happened.

She felt more confused than she ever had in her life, and honestly, she didn't know what to do.

So she just lay there, curled up in a tiny, trembling ball, until morning finally came.

**Everyone, welcome back Willowfall. (;**

**Marsipan, you were right- she most definitely has a POV in this story (;**

**Awkward for her that Blacktail doesn't like her anymore.**

**Speaking of which, you'll get a Blacktail plushie if you review (: (;**

**Till next time, mes cheries,**

**Pearly Whites (looool.)**


	6. Chapter 5: Blood and Water

**Ohey.**

**Recap: Two days after the Gathering, Willowfall gets into an argument with Emberheart about Badgerkit. Willowfall goes to the docks to meet Blacktail, who is now deputy of RiverClan. He tells her that they can't meet anymore, which hurts Willowfall. She asks him if he's told anyone about Graystar and he says no. He leaves, and Willowfall feels overwhelmed with guilt and feels that killing Graystar was all for nothing, because she's practically lost both Blacktail and her kits. She jumps into the water in an attempt to drown herself in the same way that Graystar had died, and she blacks out. She opens her eyes to see Badgerkit, who talks to her and tells her that she has to keep living because she's important. He also says that someone who wanted him dead fed him the deathberries that killed him, but he's too scared to say who. Willowfall wakes up and drags herself to the shore, staying under the dock until morning.**

**Oh yeah, I also noticed that I kept making the mistake of calling Cedarpaw's mother Sparrowflight when it's actually _Swallow_flight. But I changed all those mistakes so it should be all good. Sorry! Swallowflight Swallowflight Swallowflight.**

Chapter 5

_Blood and Water_

[Cedarpaw]

_Seven moons earlier_

It was a warm and beautiful day. Greenleaf was in the air, and the forests were lush and alive with color. Birds were chirping, squirrels were leaping from tree to tree, and the air tasted like flowers.

...

Through the pines ran a small, light brown kit, amber eyes huge as he nearly tripped on his own paws several times, jumping over roots and past rocks and logs. His surroundings were blurred, the sun in his eyes as he struggled to stay on his feet. The only thing he could hear was the sound of his own breathing, and the steady drumming of his heart. He paused for just a minute to catch his breath, looking over his shoulder, so terrified that he was trembling, his thoughts all jumbled up in his head. But a second later, an image flashed through his mind, and he quickly kept going, not daring to look back again.

Moments later, he tripped on a small stick, sending him flying down a shallow slope, landing with a light thud into ShadowClan's camp. Wincing, he shakily staggered to his paws, looking around wildly. Cats were looking over at him, and a pretty tortoiseshell quickly made her way over, frowning, a look extreme worry on her face.

"Cedarkit," she breathed, lowering herself to his level. "Cedarkit, what were you _doing_ out there, all alone? I told you that there are foxes!"

The kit was staring at his paws, quivering, ears flattened and eyes still wide from what he had just witnessed. He could barley even hear his mother.

"Cedarkit, what's wrong?" Swallowflight demanded hoarsely. "Please look at me..." She used her tail to lift her son's chin, and her leaf-green eyes met his amber ones. The kit stared at her for just a moment before he pushed forward, burying his face against his mother's chest. The she-cat wrapped her tail around him, pulling him closer, but the way he was acting scared her.

Two seconds later, a tom appeared at the top of the clearing, his light brown fur ruffled and amber eyes wide. He was panting, and he quickly took a few steps down the slope. Cedarkit pulled away from Swallowflight, lifting his head as he silently watched his father.

"Reedfur," the she-cat said, getting to her paws. "What's-"

"Waterkit is gone," he announced, looking around wildly. A few cats looked over, eyes wide in alarm as they gathered around to hear what he had to say. Before the shocked she-cat could reply, a voice boomed, "What do you _mean,_ he's gone?"

Cedarkit looked over to watch as Minnowstar padded over to the group, eyes narrowed.

"I promised him I'd show him the forest today," the warrior murmured, shaking his head. "I saw a chipmunk, and I told him to stay where he was while I hunted it. I... The next minute, he was gone. I looked all around but I couldn't find him."

"Reedfur, there are foxes out there," Swallowflight gasped. "We need to find him _now!"_

Cedarkit sat quietly, listening to the uproar that his father had caused. Everyone was talking anxiously as Minnowstar tried to get them to calm down. The kit watched, looking at Reedfur- and the second he did, those flashbacks shot back through his mind from just minutes earlier. He _knew_ that his father was lying. Cedarkit had seen what had happened with his own eyes. But he was too terrified to say a word. Nothing good would happen if he did. And who would believe him, anyway? A mere kit?

He could only thank StarClan that Reedfur didn't know that his son knew the truth.

"I'll send out two search parties immediately," Minnowstar called. "Reedfur, take Weaselfoot and Harestep and show them where you last were with Waterkit. Try to trace him from there. I will lead another search party in the opposite direction with Redwhisker and Emberheart. Everyone else, remain at camp and do _not_ leave. I'm sure that Waterkit could not have gotten far."

The two parties went off into the sunlit woods, their voices soon disappearing. Cedarkit watched as his mother worriedly paced back and forth. He wanted to tell everyone that it wasn't worth the trouble, and that Waterkit was already dead. He shook his head softly, images of his brother flashing through his mind. He dragged himself over to the edge of the camp, sitting down as he stared at his paws before he clenched his eyes together.

"...Hey," came a high-pitched voice. The kit opened his eyes and lifted his head, seeing Olivekit standing across from him. Her head was tilted, a small frown on her face. "It's gonna be okay," she murmured, sitting down beside him. "I'm sure that Waterkit'll be alright!"

"No," Cedarkit whispered. "He isn't."

The she-kit stared at him, prodding him gently. "Don't think that way-"

"Olivekit," he squeaked, voice scratchy with emotion, "he's _not_ okay_._"

"But how do you know?" protested the other, clearly putting forth a strong effort to comfort her friend. "You-"

"Dead," he whispered, looking out into the distance, eyes huge. "D-Dead." Olivekit didn't say anything else. She pushed herself closer to him, their pelts brushing, her tail resting on his.

They stayed that way until the search parties came back, announcing that Waterkit had been found killed by foxes.

_Present Day_

"...Hey," someone mewed quietly. The tom blinked a few times, lifting his head as the voice brought him back into reality. Standing across from him was Olivekit- or, Olive_paw._ Her dark brown tabby pelt was flecked with snow, her pale green eyes full of what seemed like worry. She flicked her tail. "Briarclaw thought it would be a good idea for you to get out of this camp," she murmured. Cedarpaw watched her, an image of his mentor coming to mind. He hadn't gone training with him since Reedfur died.

Olivepaw frowned, looking away, perhaps just the slightest bit of shyness in her expression. "He's taking me, Frostpaw, and Emberheart on a patrol. We think you should come."

The tom looked out into the distance for a brief moment. It was midday and snowing lightly. Some cats were outside sharing tongues, but many were huddling in their dens for warmth. He slowly turned to the she-cat, who was looking at him hopefully, head tilted a bit. Sucking in a breath, Cedarpaw staggered to his feet, trembling slightly as he began to feel a bit dizzy the second he was up.

"Cedarpaw, have you eaten lately?" pressed Olivepaw the moment she noticed his condition. "You look a little... Do you want to eat, first?" The tom shook his head slightly, looking to the left to see that Briarclaw, Emberheart, and Frostpaw were already there, waiting for them.

"Alright," the she-cat murmured. "Let's go." She walked off, looking over her shoulder to make sure he was following. The small tom quickly padded behind her, completely ignoring his grumbling stomach.

The five cats walked up the shallow slope, making their way into the snowy forest, the wind chilling their spines. Emberheart was walking swiftly several taillengths in front of everyone else, occasionally sending back somewhat disdainful glances at the others- especially at Frostpaw, Cedarpaw noticed, who, speaking of which, was being particularly quiet. Perhaps she was still mad that she didn't get to go to the Gathering last week when Snowpaw had. Or maybe it was something else.

Briarclaw slowed down to Cedarpaw's speed so that he was walking beside his apprentice. He looked at him, slowly blinking his deep amber eyes.

"How are you feeling?" he asked quietly. "Is everything going alright?"

The apprentice glanced at him, knowing that he was at least trying. He gave a small nod in reply before looking back in front of him. He was blatantly aware that he was lying, but he didn't want to talk.

Briarclaw frowned, but after a moment, nodded. "Just tell me if you need anything, alright, Cedarpaw?" With that, he quickened his pace, approaching the front of the group and leaving his apprentice alone.

Olivepaw trotted up beside Cedarpaw, her tail flicking against his. He looked at her, his whiskers twitching, trying hard to smile but not sure if he was succeeding. But she gave a small smile back nonetheless. It made Cedarpaw feel a little better.

They were approaching the Twoleg path that separated ShadowClan from ThunderClan. Olivepaw looked a bit tense; maybe she was thinking of Honeystar's mysterious absence from the Gathering.

When they broke out through a few snowy bushes, Cedarpaw spotted a cat on the other side of the path- who, strangely enough, was by itself. It was a short-legged light brown tabby tom, his big amber eyes looking this way and that, widening in slight surprise when he spotted the ShadowClan patrol.

"Hi, Bumbleclaw," Briarclaw greeted kindly. "What are you doing out here by yourself?"

The former kittypet glanced at his paws as he shuffled them around, clearly trying to think of what to say. Cedarpaw watched him quietly.

"Actually," he murmured, "I... was wondering if I could speak to your medicine cat."

Emberheart pricked her ears at this, but before she could say anything, Briarclaw meowed, "Willowfall? Why?"

Bumbleclaw tilted his head, a frown on his face. "Well," he admitted, "someone in our camp is sick, and our medicine cat, Onespot, can't... He can't figure out what's wrong with them. I... was sent here to request that Willowfall come to our camp."

Briarclaw exchanged glances with the other cats before lifting his head.

"It's not my call, but I'm not sure that Minnowstar will let you take Willowfall there by herself. It's not that I don't believe your word, but Minnowstar... isn't the most trusting of cats."

Bumbleclaw flinched slightly, quickly glancing at his paws before awkwardly looking back up. "Honeystar doesn't want anyone other than Willowfall to come," he murmured. "She... wanted to keep this a secret."

"Who is it that's ill?" Briarclaw pressed. The kittypet shook his head slightly, letting out a sigh.

"I... I wasn't supposed to tell you..."

Briarclaw uneasily glanced at Emberheart, obviously not too sure what to do. However, the she-cat ignored his gaze and flicked her tail, her gaze dark.

"I guess you'd better come back to camp with us," the tom murmured. "We can see what Minnowstar thinks of all this."

Bumbleclaw frowned a little, and gave yet another sigh. "I guess," he murmured, straightening up. "Alright, then. I'll come with you."

The group made its way back into the pines, Briarclaw leading the way as he kept sending glances at the short ThunderClan warrior following after him. Cedarpaw was carefully watching Emberheart as he walked alongside Olivepaw, who kept looking at him. The small tom's head was beginning to pound; he felt light-headed, and with every step, the world seemed to be swaying. He told himself it was only because he hadn't eaten lately. There was nothing wrong with him. There was nothing wrong with him...

He stumbled to the side, pushing into Olivepaw, who sprang back in surprise.

"Careful, Cedarpaw," she breathed, staring at him as he regained his balance and struggled to keep walking. "Cedarpaw, what's wrong? You don't look so..."

The tom suddenly stopped in his tracks, the world around him blurring, the light beginning to fade as shadows began to appear from the ground, covering everything in black as they climbed up trees, blotted out the sky, and crept towards his paws. Alarmed, the tom stumbled back, eyes wide as the sound of running water entered his ears. He clenched his eyes shut for a moment, and when he opened them, a stream lay several taillengths in front of him, rushing through the black forest.

A second later, Cedarpaw saw red. Red, in... in the water. The clearness of the stream was quickly becoming blurred with a strange red thickness, and after a moment, an unbearably strong smell wafted past.

The smell of blood.

The tom let out a weak gasp, eyes huge as blood ran through the stream, splashing against the rocks, glistening in the invisible sun. And slowly, and quite against his will, his paws stepped forward, leading him to the bloodied water, legs trembling, fur fluffed up.

He carefully stepped onto the stones, craning his head, hesitantly looking down into the stream. He saw his reflection etched clearly against the surface, his amber eyes shining. But slowly, his face was changing and morphing; his fur was growing slightly longer, his head getting bigger, his eyes darker. And a second later, he let out another small gasp as he realized that staring back at him was his father.

He stepped backwards, tail straight up in the air. No. It... It wasn't possible. His father was _dead._

Yet, as if to directly contradict his thoughts, a figure suddenly emerged from the stream, panting as its fur dripped with blood and water.

_D... Dad..._

Reedfur lifted his head, blood still running from the top of his head where he'd hit it before he'd drowned. He looked up at his son, suddenly pulling his lips back to show his teeth as his matching amber eyes narrowed and flashed with something like hatred. Cedarpaw stood, frozen in fear, as he watched the warrior pull himself from the stream, straightening up, fur dripping as he gazed at the apprentice, claws flexed.

It was only when he whispered the word "Cedarpaw" that the apprentice suddenly collapsed to the ground, everything around him going pitch black.

**Yeah, sorry about that creepyass ending there.**

**Anyway, I love Cedarpaw, he's one of my favorites(: Cedarpaw plushies for everyone who reviews!(:**

**So yeah, I'm ssoo looking forward to winter break. Only three more days for me. daksdjfasfkj**

**Ps Jayfeather4ever, it like won't let me reply to your reviews or PM you, I'm not ignoring you, I swear! You are lovely(:**

**Till next time!**

**Pearl**


	7. Chapter 6: Coltsfoot

**Hola, amigos:) Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I was on vacation(: Ugh it was so warm. I miss it.**

**Recap: Seven moons earlier, it is revealed that Waterkit, Cedarpaw's brother, had been killed by foxes. Or at least, that's what everyone was lead to believe. In present day, Olivepaw asks him to go on a patrol with her, Emberheart, Frostpaw, and his mentor, Briarclaw. At the ThunderClan border, they meet Bumbleclaw, who requests that Willowfall come to his camp and help take care of a patient. Briarclaw decides to take him back to camp to see what Minnowstar thinks. On the way back, Cedarpaw feels dizzy, and he suddenly has a vision of his dead father, Reedfur, emerging from a river of blood and water. He passes out.**

Chapter 6

_Coltsfoot_

[Frostpaw]

Frostpaw let out a sneeze as she walked with the patrol, keeping her head bent low so she wouldn't get snow in her eyes. She lifted her head slightly, studying the ThunderClan cat who had joined them and was accompanying them to camp. He wasn't saying much, and kept looking around nervously, surveying his surroundings. Maybe he still wasn't completely used to Clan life yet.

"Cedarpaw!" a voice suddenly screeched, causing Frostpaw to flinch. Ears pricked, she whirled around, seeing that a few foxlengths back, Olivepaw was staring at something, eyes wide. It was a light brown lump in the snow... Cedarpaw?

Briarclaw, Emberheart and Bumbleclaw immediately turned to see what had happened, and Briarclaw's eyes widened when he realized what had happened.

"Cedarpaw!" he said, running over to where his apprentice lay. Frostpaw frowned, hastily following. Emberheart and Bumbleclaw remained several taillengths away.

The white she-cat came to a halt when she reached the tom and leaned forward. He was laying on his side, sprawled out in the snow, mouth open and eyes closed, not moving an inch.

"What happened to him?" breathed Olivepaw, looking at Briarclaw and Frostpaw frantically, her voice scratchy with worry. In Frostpaw's eyes, Cedarpaw seemed like he was about the only cat that Olivepaw cared anything for. And she cared about him so much that she was visibly trembling at the sight of her friend collapsed on the cold ground.

"He's breathing," Briarclaw confirmed, clearly trying to remain calm, though his voice quivered. "Olivepaw, do you know what happened?"

"I think he was having trouble walking," the dark brown she-cat murmured. "He started to shake, and he pushed into me. After that, he stopped walking, and he was just staring into space, his eyes wide." She frowned, gazing at the unconscious tom. "A few moments later, he just... collapsed."

"What could have happened?" meowed Frostpaw, but no one really seemed to have heard her.

"Olivepaw, do you know if he's eaten lately?" Briarclaw pressed. The she-cat shook her head.

"N-No, I... don't think so. But he didn't want to eat before the patrol. I asked him."

"Well, we'll take him back to camp and have Willowfall check him," the tom said, tail twitching. "I'm sure he'll be fine." The dark brown she-cat nodded a bit, but the worried frown on her face was firm. The warrior lifted the apprentice onto his back, Cedarpaw's legs falling over on either side. Briarclaw let out a breath, straightening up as he struggled to keep the smaller cat up.

"Let's go," he murmured, nodding to the two she-cats. He trudged through the snow to rejoin with Bumbleclaw and Emberheart, who had been standing a distance away, watching quietly. Olivepaw quickly followed after, and a few moments later, Frostpaw joined them.

When they got back to camp, Minnowstar immediately approached them, eyes narrowed to slits as she watched the group file into the hollow. Others lifted their heads, noticing not only the unconscious Cedarpaw on Briarclaw's back, but also the ThunderClan warrior. Willowfall hurriedly made her way over to them when she saw the apprentice.

"Briarclaw, what's going on?" demanded the leader, looking back and forth between Cedarpaw and Bumbleclaw. "What happened?"

"Cedarpaw passed out," the warrior explained quickly. "And Bumbleclaw wanted to see you. He requests that he take Willowfall to his camp to treat a patent."

"What about Onespot?" pressed Minnowstar. She turned her narrowed gaze to the former kittypet. "Why do you need _our_ medicine cat?"

"He can't figure out what's wrong," Bumbleclaw breathed, nervously looking around at the cats staring at him. "This is a personal request from Honeystar..."

"Of course she won't go with you," was Minnowstar's firm answer. Bumbleclaw's eyes widened in dismay, and he pleadingly looked over at Willowfall. However, the medicine cat gave a quick sigh, shaking her head.

"I have to take care of Cedarpaw," she said. "I'm sorry, Bumbleclaw. You'll have to see if WindClan's medicine cat can come."

"I already asked them yesterday," he murmured, looking at his paws. "...And RiverClan, too. They're both too busy taking care of their own cats who have gotten sick from Leafbare..." He shook his head, lifting his head and looking at her again, a frown on his face. "You're our last hope," he meowed quietly. "Please, Willowfall. It's an emergency."

The medicine cat lowered her head, but then suddenly raised it, looking at him.

"What if I sent someone in my place?"

"What?" hissed Minnowstar immediately. "Willowfall, you don't even have an apprentice! Who could possibly-"

"I'll give them some herbs to take over and tell them what to do," she insisted, straightening up. "Right now, I _need_ to stay here with Cedarpaw in case his conditions suddenly worsen. Leafbare is dangerous to everyone's health."

Bumbleclaw frowned and looked at the ShadowClan leader.

"Please, Minnowstar," he begged, lowering his head a bit out of intimidation. "We'd be in your debt."

The leader didn't answer. She simply looked at Willowfall, somewhat impatiently. She flicked her tail. The medicine cat blinked and looked over at Frostpaw, who happened to be standing right by her.

"Frostpaw? Will you go?"

The apprentice lifted her head in surprise as she suddenly felt the stares of everyone in the hollow looking at her curiously. Uncomfortably, she lowered her head a bit, murmuring, "B-But I have no experience with medicine at all..."

"You'll be fine," insisted the medicine cat. "I'll give you herbs to take and some directions." She lifted her head to the leader once more. "Is that alright with you, Minnowstar?"

The leader narrowed her eyes as she looked at Frostpaw, causing the apprentice's fur to prickle with unease. She felt as if she didn't have any say in the matter at all.

"Fine," Minnowstar said, to everyone's relative surprise. She then looked at Bumbleclaw, pulling her lips back just slightly. "But if I find even _one_ scratch on this apprentice, Bumbleclaw, then ThunderClan had better prepare themselves."

"You can trust me," the warrior said, the bright light coming back to his eyes as he bounced on his paws, a little. "Thank you so much, Minnowstar."

The leader snorted softly. "Just don't take long."

"Frostpaw, come here," Willowfall meowed, leading her towards a clump of bramble bushes at the corner of the camp. The apprentice followed her, whiskers twitching. Briarclaw followed behind them, Cedarpaw still on his back.

They pushed through the entrance to the medicine den, brambles serving as the walls and ceiling, except for one hole through which one could see all the way up to the sky. Apparently, Willowfall could receive signs from StarClan, here, and needed access to the stars. Frostpaw briefly thought about the fact that the medicine cat hadn't announced any signs in... Well, actually, Frostpaw couldn't remember _any_ time when Willowfall had announced any signs.

"Put Cedarpaw down in that bed of moss, there," the light gray she-cat demanded. Briarclaw placed him down. "Now, go take a clump of moss and get some water from the pool near camp."

The warrior dipped his head and headed out with a piece of moss in his jaws.

"Will Cedarpaw be alright?" Frostpaw asked, turning to Willowfall, who looked at the tom, unconscious in the nest.

"I'm sure he will be," she murmured. "But in case his health suddenly takes a turn for the worse, I need to be here." She straightened up, looking at the younger cat. Her eyes were glowing strangely, a small frown on her face. "Which is why you need to go with Bumbleclaw."

"But what do I _do?"_ the apprentice pressed. "I feel like I won't be any help at all."

"You'll be fine," the other insisted as she went to the back of the den, beginning to collect some herbs. There weren't many, since it was Leafbare. But the medicine cat had saved some before the snow had fallen, and she had buried some to preserve them. She came back a second later with a mouthful. Setting them down at Frostpaw's feet, she looked up.

"This is burdock," she explained, pawing at a small root. "This helps with infection. And this is comfrey." Frostpaw looked at the plant; its large leaves were dying and the flowers were just barely still intact. "It helps with broken bones and wounds. This dried lavender will help with fever. I wrapped some nettle, juniper berries and poppy seeds in watermint leaves. The nettle helps with swelling, and the berries and watermint help with bellyaches. And I assume you know what poppy seeds do." When Frostpaw didn't reply, the cat continued, "They help soothe shock and will help numb pain."

"Willowfall, I don't think I'm going to remember all of this," the apprentice murmured, her head beginning to pound.

"Onespot will know what to do with them," she assured. "Oh, I almost forgot- in the watermint bundle I also included a bit of catnip I'd collected from a Twoleg nest. If it turns out to be greencough, then this will help."

"But if Onespot can't figure out what it is, then what makes you think _I_ can help? I'm not a medicine cat."

"Just give him the herbs and if he needs any help, then help him. I'm not expecting you to make some sort of new discovery in the world of medicine." Her face softened a bit. "Don't worry. You'll be fine. I'd come if I could, but I just can't leave Cedarpaw right now." The two looked over at the tom. His breathing was a bit uneasy, and he twitched every now and then.

The cats heard pawsteps outside, and a moment later, Briarclaw slipped through the den, the ball of moss dripping with icy cold water.

"Thank you, Briarclaw," said Willowfall. "Now go, Frostpaw. Bumbleclaw will take you to camp. You'll be fine, don't worry."

Frostpaw dipped her head a bit, picking up the herbs in her mouth, careful not to drop and spill them everywhere.

Stepping out into the cold, she was immediately greeted by Snowpaw, who's green eyes were wide in disbelief.

"Wow, Frostpaw! I can't believe you get to go to ShadowClan! It's like... It's like..." She shook her head, a mischievous grin appearing on her face. "...Like a top secret mission..."

Frostpaw stared at her, irritation sparking through her. She wasn't taking this as seriously as she should have been.

Snowpaw had always been like that. Bouncy and peppy and never taking anything seriously. And though that's the way that Frostpaw also acted around her, it wasn't who she really was. In fact, the two sisters were entirely different, but Frostpaw found that if she acted the way her sister did, it... it made things easier. On everyone. Because Snowpaw didn't really have anyone she was that close to. She only had Frostpaw. And if Frostpaw acted like her sister, then cats wouldn't take her so seriously, either. And that may not sound ideal, but to her, it was. Cats wouldn't expect too much out of her or ask her why she woke up in the middle of the night almost _every_ night with wide eyes, trying to catch her breath. Cats wouldn't see how different from everyone else she really was. Which is what she wanted.

And so, Frostpaw smiled fakely, just as she did _every_ day, masking away her true thoughts and feelings and emotions. No one would ever reach them. And it was better that way.

Putting the herbs down for a moment, she purred, "I know! Maybe I'll find out what happened to Honeystar, too, and why she wasn't at the Gathering."

Snowpaw's eyes sparked with interest, and she mewed, "Yeah! You'd better tell me about everything, okay? Promise?"

"Promise," she grinned back, the tip of her tail flicking. Picking up the herbs, she trotted away, whiskers twitching as she silently made her way to where Bumbleclaw was waiting. The tom looked at her awkwardly before nodding, smiling slightly.

"O-Okay, I'll lead the way." The tom began up the slope, the apprentice close behind.

They walked through the trees, snow still falling lightly, the sun glowing brightly behind thin louds as it slowly began its descent. Bumbleclaw slowed down a few times to look around, as if trying to figure out where he was going. He'd been in ShadowClan for several moons, but it still didn't seem as if he were at all accustomed. Frostpaw was glad that the herbs she was carrying in her mouth gave her an excuse not to talk.

Breaking through a clump of bushes, they reached the Twoleg path. They suddenly stopped, both of them feeling somewhat hesitant to cross over into ThunderClan territory. Bumbleclaw glanced at Frostpaw, swallowing.

"Here's the border," he said quietly. "Just follow me and I'll take you to our camp." Frostpaw nodded rigidly, a bit of excitement and anxiety creeping through her paws. She'd never been to ThunderClan's camp before. She remembered that Minnowstar had led an attack their moons earlier when they had been fighting over territory, but she'd been too unexperienced to go.

They crossed the path and began through the forest, the familiar pines of home having been replaced with oaks and maples and elms that had been stripped of their leaves and now stood completely bare. For some reason, it made it seem colder. She immediately began to recognize the smell of ThunderClan cats as it grew stronger and stronger. It seemed like an entirely different world, here.

Minutes passed, and soon, their scent wafted around her so strongly that she knew they must have been close. When they reached a barrier of brambles, Bumbleclaw stopped. He flicked his tail.

"Well, here we are," he mewed. "Camp is right through this entrance. Uh, follow me..." He slipped into the small opening, and after a moment, Frostpaw followed him in.

When they were inside, the apprentice raised her head, looking around in awe. They were standing at the top of a stone hollow, scarce of any plants or trees at all. Just stone. Across the camp stood a ledge, with a rocky slope leading up to it, towering over the rest of the hollow.

At the bottom were many cats, though they were unusually quiet, even after they had noticed their arrival and had begun to lift their heads up curiously. They were mostly huddling in small groups, frowns on all of their faces. Frostpaw shifted her paws, uncomfortable. In the crowd she recognized Russetpaw, the apprentice she'd seen during her patrol last week. The warrior beside her nodded and began down the rocky slope, followed by the she-cat, who tried not to slip on the way down.

"Willowfall couldn't make it," Bumbleclaw explained. He seemed a bit embarrassed. "But she sent an apprentice in her place."

"What do you mean, she couldn't make it?" came a voice. Through the crowd appeared a familiar face- Sagewhisker. Her gray fur was a bit ruffled as she narrowed her eyes, looking at the two irritably. "We needed _Willowfall_ to come, not this _apprentice!"_

Frostpaw narrowed her eyes just the slightest bit, but tried not to show her annoyance towards the deputy's attitude.

"She had to stay at camp and take care of one of their own," the tom explained, tail drooping as he lowered his head in shame. Frostpaw pitied him, almost.

"...Fine," Sagewhisker growled, lashing her tail. "Take her to Honeystar."

"Yes, Sagewhisker," he murmured. Glancing at Frostpaw, he led her over to the rocky slope leading up to the Highledge. He blinked and quickly leaped up first. Frostpaw held in her breath and followed after, hoping that Honeystar wouldn't be too mad that she had to take Willowfall's place.

Up at the top, there was a small opening at the back of the ledge where the den was. Swallowing, Bumbleclaw went in. The apprentice followed.

Once she was inside, her eyes widened at what she saw. Laying across a withering bed of moss was Honeystar, so skinny that her ribs seemed to stick out. Her golden-brown coat was matted, and in a few places, she was even losing fur. Her amber eyes were half-closed and dull, mouth open as she loudly gasped for air, a shiver going down her spine.

Frostpaw mechanically put the herbs at her paws, staring open-mouthed at the leader. She didn't know that _she_ was the one who was sick. But then again, it made perfect sense. This is why she wasn't at the Gathering, and why ThunderClan was so secretive about who their patient was.

On the other side of the leader stood Onespot, a lean black tom with a small, white spot on his left shoulder. He tilted his head a bit when he saw Frostpaw, and then glanced over at Bumbleclaw, waiting for him to explain.

The warrior stepped forward, leaning down to nuzzle Honeystar. Frostpaw blinked.

"I got help," he murmured softly. "Willowfall couldn't come-"

"What?" the golden-brown she-cat rasped with a cough. "Why not? I told you to bring her!"

"She couldn't come, Honeystar," he said. "But an apprentice came with some herbs and she wants to help. Her name is Frostpaw-"

"No," she wheezed, lifting her head slightly, widening her eyes as she stared at Frostpaw. The apprentice tried not to flinch. "Get her _out-"_

"Honeystar," Onespot spoke up, "put your head back down. Just try to relax. We're lucky enough to have anyone here at all. We checked with all the other Clans already."

The leader clenched her eyes shut, laying her head back down against the moss.

"Fine," she muttered. "But if Onespot can't figure out what's wrong with me-" She broke off with a fit of coughing; she sneezed before she continued: "...Then how do you expect this _apprentice_ to?"

"She's here to help," Bumbleclaw said, licking her ear. "We'll figure out what's wrong. And we'll fix it... I promise."

The weak she-cat closed her eyes, a faint smile on her face.

"I love you, Bumbleclaw," she murmured, her leg twitching.

"I love you, too. You don't have to worry."

Frostpaw glanced at Onespot, who gave a tiny shrug before quickly shaking his head. He walked around the she-cat and stood beside the apprentice.

"I see you brought some herbs," he said, inspecting them. "Thank you. These will help." He ripped off a small bit of a watermint leaf and nudged it towards the leader, along with two juniper berries. "Eat these, Honeystar-"

"StarClan, how many herbs are you going to make me eat?" she rasped, opening her eyes just the slightest bit in annoyance. "You don't even know what's wrong with me! What kind of medicine cat _are_ you, anyway?" Onespot shrunk back a bit, and Bumbleclaw quickly stepped in.

"He's just trying to help, Honeystar. Please, just eat the leaf and berries. They'll help."

"Just like everything else _helped_," scoffed the golden-brown cat, but she ate them, regardless. Frostpaw fought the urge to narrow her eyes. Onespot didn't deserve to be treated like this. She felt sorry for him that he had to deal with this cat at all.

"Frostpaw, please chew up some of this comfrey and lavender," he said while he busily collected the nettle she'd brought. He had a frown on his face and his tail was lashing back and forth. He seemed quite nervous.

"A-Alright." She began to chew up the herbs when Honeystar suddenly began gasping, amber eyes widening with panic as she fought to breathe. Frostpaw raised her head in alarm, immediately dropping the flowers.

Onespot froze, and he quickly grabbed a small flower from a pile he had made. He placed it beside Honeystar.

"Eat this," he said. But the leader shook her head frantically, looking terrified as she continued to gasp and wheeze violently. Frostpaw stared at her, not knowing what to do. For some reason, watching this cat struggle to breathe scared her. She couldn't even move her paws. Bumbleclaw stood beside her, looking back and forth at the cats frantically. Without even thinking, the apprentice suddenly stepped forward, leaning down so she was at the leader's level.

"Honeystar, listen to me," she said, looking right into her eyes. "You'll be okay. Just relax, you're panicking and making it worse. Take in a deep breath." Honeystar trembled and tried to take in some air, but to no avail. She spluttered and gasped and shook her head again, eyes clouding with fear. "Honeystar, you can do it," Frostpaw encouraged. "Take in a deep breath..." After a moment of hesitation, the leader managed to take in a breath, and for a moment, the gasping stopped. "...Now slowly let it out." The leader shakily let out a breath, though she was still shaking.

Frostpaw nudged the flower towards her. "Eat this," she murmured. "It's coltsfoot. It helps with shortness of breath." The apprentice suddenly froze, mouth opening a bit. How did she know that? She tried to remember the herbs Willowfall had shown her. Burdock, comfrey, nettle... No. She hadn't given her any coltsfoot. She hadn't even seen it before. But Onespot didn't correct her. She stared at Honeystar, confused as the leader chewed and swallowed the herb.

"O-Okay," the white she-cat stammered, still a bit dazed. "Do you feel better? Keep taking deep breaths. Lie your head back down." Honeystar nodded a tiny bit, resting back into the moss.

Frostpaw took a step back, glancing at Onespot. The black tom was staring at her, his green eyes shining with surprise.

"That was... impressive," he murmured quietly as he eyed her. "You seem to know a lot about healing."

"I... I don't," muttered Frostpaw, looking down at her paws. "And... I never learned what coltsfoot was."

He looked at her, tilting his head.

"But you were right. It's eaten to help with shortness of breath."

"I don't know how I knew that," she whispered, her head hurting a little. "I've never even seen it before in my life."

The medicine cat looked at her curiously, eyes sparking with interest. "That's strange..."

"...Frostpaw," Honeystar suddenly whispered, her eyes open slightly. Her breathing seemed to have gone back to a somewhat normal state, though it was still fairly shallow.

The apprentice pricked her ears.

"Yes, Honeystar?"

"...Thank you for coming," she said, a very faint smile appearing on her face. "But I'm afraid that's all you can do."

"Honeystar, what are you talking about?" mewed Onespot. The leader looked at him.

"Onespot, take Frostpaw outside and send Sagewhisker in. I have something to tell her." The medicine cat looked at her, but he didn't argue. He turned to the apprentice.

"I suppose it's best we do as she says," he said. He turned. "Bumbleclaw...?"

"I'm staying with Honeystar," he said. The leader didn't seem to have any objections, so the black tom nodded, leading Frostpaw outside the den.

The two trotted down the snowy slope, who met the stares of a few cats lingering outside. They all seemed to be wondering the same thing, but none of them spoke. Except for one cat.

The gray-furred deputy stepped forward, her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Well?" she pressed when she reached the pair. "How is she?"

Onespot frowned. "She... wants to see you, actually. I don't know what it's about."

Sagewhisker blinked, gazing up at the Highledge before nodding curtly.

"Very well. I'll see what she has to say." She swiftly turned, marching over to the slope and up onto the Highledge, disappearing into the den.

"...What do you think is going on?" Frostpaw finally dared to ask. The tom frowned, looking out into the distance.

"...I don't know," he said quietly, though his hesitation made the apprentice wonder if he was telling the truth.

"This is why she wasn't at the Gathering, isn't it?" she murmured. Onespot looked at her, but then he nodded.

"We didn't want the other Clans to think we were weak," he mewed softly. "We didn't want to give them an opportunity to attack us."

"Why would they attack you?" she pressed.

"Maybe you haven't noticed," he replied quietly, "but tensions have been building. With RiverClan especially. Apparently Blossomstar has been trying to take over some WindClan land because she claims they need more hunting territory. And this is making Greenstar tense." He glanced at her. "I would be careful, because she might try to invade ShadowClan, too." Frostpaw frowned, the thought of a war starting in the midst of Leafbare sounding quite unappealing to her.

"I don't see why cats always fight during the hardest seasons," she murmured, looking down. "We have enough troubles as it is."

The tom looked at her thoughtfully. "You sound like a medicine cat," he meowed. Frostpaw glanced at him, wondering if he was right.

Before she had time to reply, a shadow suddenly fell over the clearing. Frostpaw lifted her head to see Sagewhisker standing at the top of the Highledge, her eyes narrowed to slits, her gray fur ruffled a bit. She was alone. ThunderClanners looked up curiously, waiting to see what she had to say.

...And then she announced...

"Honeystar is dead."

Cats gasped in response, looking at each other with horror as chatter began to fill the clearing. Frostpaw's eyes widened a bit; she peered up at Onespot to see him silently watching.

"However," Sagewhisker added, scraping her claws against the cold rock, "before she died, she stripped me of my position and passed on her leadership to her mate, Bumbleclaw."

...Silence.

Cats stared at her, open-mouthed, unsure how to react. Frostpaw's eyes were huge as she looked up at the Highledge, watching as Bumbleclaw appeared from Honeystar's den. He looked a bit uncomfortable.

"But why?" squeaked a she-cat from the crowd. Sagewhisker pulled her lips back, tail lashing.

"Because she loved him, that's why." She turned to Bumbleclaw, eyes suddenly alight with rage. "You don't have _half_ the experience I do," she hissed. "You're a _kittypet_ who can hardly defend himself or even _hunt_ properly." She lashed her tail again, looking out at the crowd.

"I will _not_ let ThunderClan have another kittypet for a leader," she snarled out. "That era ended a _long_ time ago." She stormed down the slope, shoving her way past the cats that stared at her in shock. Scampering up the hill on the opposite side, she stood at the top of the hollow, near the entrance.

"_I_ was supposed to be leader," she growled. "And I will _not_ let this _kittypet_ rule me. I'm leaving this place you all dare even call a _Clan_ anymore. And anyone who agrees with me may join."

Frostpaw stared at the crowd, overwhelmed. A few cats looked at each other, but after a moment, three stepped forward- an orange and black tom, a gray tabby tom, and a calico she-cat. They leaped up the slope, their eyes narrowed as they glared at Bumbleclaw atop the Highledge. Sagewhisker nodded to them before she gave one last snarl at the former kittypet.

"Don't trip," she muttered before she turned, storming off through the entrance and out into the snowy woods, the three following close behind.

The rest of the Clan watched them go, unable to speak. They slowly turned their heads towards their new leader, who stood over them, his light brown fur ruffling in a freezing wind. It was a few moments before he finally spoke.

"...The death of Honeystar has taken us all by surprise," he murmured, looking down at his paws. "Especially me." He lifted his head, his amber eyes suddenly bright with something like determination. "But I swear that I will help this Clan through its loss. As your new leader, I will help us thrive through the harshest season, and I will make sure that Honeystar's legacy is not forgotten." He lowered his head. "I will travel to the Moonpool tonight." He then turned, returning into the den where he would probably continue to mourn for his dead lover.

Frostpaw shook her head with shock before she looked at Onespot.

"You knew this would happen, didn't you?" she whispered.

He blinked softly and responded, "...I had a feeling." He shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment before he looked at her. "Frostpaw, thank you for your help today," he said. "Even though we couldn't save her, you acted so much like a medicine cat..." He shook his head again, as if thinking something over. "It's almost a shame that you didn't decide to train under Willowfall."

She stared at the tom, unsure of what to say. She had never even considered becoming a medicine cat, but her experience with Honeystar made her think. She thought about how she felt when she'd told her to calm down and to take deep breaths. She'd felt so... so in control, so sure of herself. And how did she know about the coltsfoot? Maybe Onespot was right. Maybe there was something special about her that she hadn't discovered until now.

That night, she lay in the apprentices' den, curled up in a tight ball beside her sister. The events of the day wouldn't leave her mind, and ShadowClan had been shocked by the news of Honeystar's death, and how she had demoted Sagewhisker from becoming leader, causing her to leave the Clan in fury. When Willowfall had asked her how she was, Frostpaw had told her how it felt to help treat her, and about the coltsfoot. The medicine cat had lowered her head in wonder, though she'd said nothing else.

Frostpaw let out a sigh, turning over as she tried to sleep. But she knew that the minute her eyes closed, the nightmares she had every night would return to her. Just like always.

...They didn't.

**Phew, that was a long chapter. Longer than I expected it would be, anyway. Sorry if it was kinda boring at parts. But it was important(:**

**Review and get a Frostpaw plushie! It would be ever so appreciated:)**

**Till next time,**

**Pearls**


	8. Chapter 7: Please

**Hola, amigos.**

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while! I'll skip my excuses and just get on with the story.**

**Recap: After Cedarpaw passes out while on a patrol, the group brings him back to ShadowClan. Bumbleclaw, a warrior from ThunderClan, comes with them, and asks Minnowstar if Willowfall can accompany him to ThunderClan to treat a sick patient. Willowfall can't go, however, because she needs to take care of Cedarpaw, so she decides to send Frostpaw in her place. She goes with him to ThunderClan to find out that the sick patient is Honeystar, and that this was the reason she wasn't at the Gathering. When the leader starts having trouble breathing, Frostpaw gives her coltsfoot, realizing afterwards that she'd never been taught what coltsfoot did. She and ThunderClan's medicine cat, Onespot, leave the den by Honeystar's request. Sagewhisker goes into talk to her, and comes out announcing that the leader had died, and that she had passed on her power to Bumbleclaw, instead of her. Furious, Sagewhisker leaves ShadowClan, along with three others who don't want to be ruled by Bumbleclaw. Frostpaw goes home and thinks about what happened.**

**Ope, that was a long recap.**

Chapter 7

_Please_

[Olivepaw]

Night had fallen over ShadowClan, covering everything in a cold silence. It was snowing steadily now, and inside the medicine den, Olivepaw had to suppress a shiver as she sat up rigidly. Her eyes were half-closed in fatigue, but she couldn't let herself fall asleep.

At her paws lay Cedarpaw, sprawled out on his side, his sides rising and falling unevenly as he trembled a bit in the cold. Though his eyes were closed, they were clenched together, mouth open and teeth bared just slightly as if he were having a nightmare. He hadn't woken up since he'd passed out that afternoon.

The dark brown tabby she-cat let out a shaky sigh, jumping a bit when she heard a voice behind her.

"You should really get some rest."

She lifted her head, seeing Willowfall standing facing her several taillengths away, blue eyes shining in the darkness.

Olivepaw let out a sigh, turning her gaze back to the unconscious tom.

"I just... I don't want anything to happen to him."

"That's why I'm here," the medicine cat replied with a flick of the tail, her expression neutral. "It's not doing you any good to lose sleep in this cold. He'll be fine; don't worry."

The apprentice frowned, silently watching Cedarpaw as his paw twitched. She didn't say anything.

"You really care about him, don't you?" came Willowfall's low murmur. Olivepaw blinked slowly, lifting her head.

"...He doesn't have anyone," she said quietly. "All his life, cats have distanced themselves from him. And now that his father's dead, even Swallowflight, his own mother, has. Nobody understands him..." She broke off, looking away. "Maybe I don't, either. Most of the time, I have no idea at all as to what's going on in his head. It's strange; I feel like he's my best friend, but at the same time, I know absolutely nothing about him." She shook her head softly, gazing back at the medicine cat. "But I'm still here for him. I want him to be okay."

Willowfall looked away, eyes narrowed slightly. "He will be," she murmured. "...He'll be fine. I promise."

. . . . .

Olivepaw's eyes shot open, her heart pounding as she lifted her head.

She was in the medicine den, curled up beside Cedarpaw. She must have fallen asleep. It was still night, everything around her completely silent. She let out a breath, her thoughts clouding. She'd had a dream, and she'd felt as if it were important. But when she tried to remember what had happened, all she could visualize was the outline of a black cat.

She looked at Cedarpaw in the darkness. It seemed as though his breathing was becoming normal again, yet he still hadn't woken up. The she-cat sighed, getting up to her paws, suddenly not feeling tired.

Glancing around, she blinked a few times when she realized that Willowfall wasn't anywhere in the den. Flicking an ear, she pushed through the bramble entrance and outside.

The snowfall had been reduced to a light flurry, and now the clouds were growing thinner, revealing the sky in some places. The egg-shaped moon shone down as Olivepaw looked around, shivering in the cold. Everyone was asleep, except for Icewhisker and Briarclaw, who were tiredly guarding the camp. The apprentice narrowed her eyes just a bit, trying to find Willowfall. She wasn't in the clearing.

Lowering herself to the ground, she watched the two warriors on the opposite side of the camp. They seemed to be talking to each other and not paying much else any attention. Biting her lip, she quickly darted around to the back of the medicine den before scampering up the shallow slope, bounding through the snow and into the forest.

Olivepaw silently walked through the woods, the tall shadows of pine trees suddenly seeming unfamiliar to her. Part of her asked her where she was going, and why, but her mind was quite blank and she simply followed where her paws were taking her. She'd never been out here at night, _alone._ An owl suddenly flew by, starting the apprentice as it shrieked and vanished into the branches of a tall pine, a few feathers falling and landing in the snow around her.

Soon, she heard water gurgling, and, narrowing her eyes, she could faintly see the stream in the darkness. She soundlessly approached it and stepped onto a snowy rock, lowering her head and looking into the water. The light of the moon just barely hit it, and she could see her head outlined against the sky. It calmed her, somehow, and she found that she was just faintly smiling.

Then, she pricked hear ears, hearing pawsteps behind her. They were soft at first, but they grew louder and louder as they sped up. Someone was running towards her.

Eyes wide, she whipped her head around, and after two seconds, a shape leapt from the undergrowth, breathing heavily, wide amber eyes glowing in the darkness as it darted for her.

The cat suddenly leaped forward, eyes ablaze as it let out a loud snarl, claws flexed. Olivepaw widened her eyes, and in the dim moonlight, she immediately recognized the face of...

..._Cedarpaw?_

She instinctively clenched her eyes shut, bracing herself for the attack, holding her breath.

...Nothing.

She let out a shaky sigh, reluctantly opening her eyes.

...No one.

Olivepaw frowned, heart pounding as she wildly glanced around. Hadn't that been Cedarpaw, just now? It _had_ been. She was sure of it.

"Cedarpaw?" she called out in a hoarse whisper, fur prickling in alarm. "Cedarpaw, are you...?" The only response was the sound of wind rustling against the branches.

Taking a small step back, her back paw suddenly slipped off the rock and into the icy cold water. Olivepaw flinched, quickly regaining her balance as she looked over her shoulder into the stream. An image of Reedfur flashed through her mind- he had slipped and drowned in this same stream.

Letting out a trembling breath, she carefully leaped over the water and onto the other side, where she kept going, her head now spinning, her heart pounding. What was going on? She swallowed, her throat feeling dry. Part of her told her to go back to camp, but another part was convinced that if she kept walking, she'd make some sort of discovery or uncover some secret that everyone knew but her.

So she kept going, blatantly aware that she was shivering not only because of the cold, but because of the vision that had been burned into her mind of Cedarpaw appearing from the darkness. Maybe she was going crazy.

She was getting closer to the RiverClan border; she could smell it. She didn't how how she'd ended up there, but she didn't really care.

She suddenly came to a halt, ears pricked and tail raised. She heard... voices. Nearby, cats were talking. She couldn't tell how many, but she lowered herself to the ground, cautiously making her way through the snow and into the direction of the noise. Pressing up against the trunk of a pine tree, she glanced around it.

Two shadows were standing face to face, their fur blowing gently in the breeze, blue and green eyes glowing in the moonlight. Olivepaw narrowed her eyes, but she couldn't tell who it was. She bit her lip, waiting for them to speak.

"...Why did you bring me out here?" one of them was saying. The apprentice's eyes widened slightly; it was unmistakably the voice of Willowfall. So _this_ is where the medicine cat had disappeared to. A twinge of anger nagged at Olivepaw; how could she leave a patient in the den? What if his conditions were to worsen? She tried not to think about the fact that she, too, had left.

She dismissed her thoughts and leaned forward a bit, listening.

"You know why," the other voice replied with a low, sharp growl. Olivepaw flicked an ear; was that Emberheart?

"Confronting me about the same issue over and over, every _day_, is _not_ going to change _anything,"_ Willowfall muttered back. The apprentice frowned; what were they talking about?

"He'll never come back, I know," Emberheart retorted. "But do you know what my mother used to say to me, Willowfall...?" When the medicine cat didn't reply, she continued: "What goes around will _always_ come back around."

"What are you trying to say?" mewed Willowfall. Olivepaw detected just a bit of wariness in her voice.

"I _know_ about your kits," came the sharp growl. She paused before continuing, her voice suddenly smooth; "Wouldn't it be a shame if they were to face the same 'accidental' death as Badgerkit...?"

Olivepaw's eyes widened. Had she heard correctly? That Willowfall had...?

"How _dare_ you threaten them," the medicine cat suddenly snarled, taking a small step forward. Emberheart held her ground, a very soft chuckle erupting from her throat.

"And tell me, Willowfall- what can a _medicine_ cat do? You can't do _anything _to me. Speaking of which," she purred, leaning forward, "how come we haven't heard any omens or prophecies from you since last _Leafbare?"_ She shook her head softly; "It seems odd how seemingly little connection you've had with StarClan, lately." She grinned, her white teeth glinting in the faint light. "What exactly did you do to drive them away...?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Willowfall growled, her voice scratchy and slightly hesitant.

"It must be something," Emberheart calmly responded. "Might it have to do with the fact that, on the night of Badgerkit's death, you left camp and-"

"_Stop!"_ the medicine cat hissed, ears flattened. "You don't know what you're talking about. You're acting as if you know something about me, but you don't know _anything_ about me. _Nothing."_

Emberheart lashed her tail, the corner of her mouth rising up into a small smirk.

"That's not true," she mewed evenly. "I know that if you're anything like me, and anything like any other mother, then you would do _anything_ to protect your kits."

Willowfall fell silent. Olivepaw watched, eyes wide, breathing nearly stopped as the medicine cat lowered her head.

"...What do you want?" she finally heard her ask in a soft murmur, voice quavering a bit. "What do you want...?"

The ginger warrior's eyes flashed as she swiftly licked a paw.

"I want you to leave ShadowClan."

Olivepaw let out a small gasp, but quickly closed her mouth, shrinking further back behind the tree.

"Are you _crazy?"_ breathed Willowfall after a moment. "I can't leave, I'm the _medicine cat!_ I take care of the Clan! I don't even have an apprentice who could take my place-"

"There'll be one," Emberheart replied calmly, without much interest. "Trust me, there'll be one."

"You're crazy," the light gray cat murmured. "You're crazy-"

"But what's _more_ crazy?" Emberheart purred, eyes flashing darkly. "Me, or the fact that you would let your kits die by not doing as I say...?"

"I'm not afraid of you," Willowfall growled. "You can't do anything to them-"

"Really?" the warrior pressed with mock surprise. "I think that I can. And I think _damn_ well that I'd get away with it, too."

"You wouldn't," the medicine cat whispered, now sounding desperate rather than angry. "What happened with Badgerkit was a _mistake._ What would he think if he knew that you'd taken innocent lives-"

"What do you know about my son?" Emberheart hissed, claws flexed. Olivepaw let out a shaky breath, pressing against the snow-covered tree. It was too late to run, now. They'd hear her.

"I know that I _saw_ him the night I tried to _drown_ myself," Willowfall growled back. "I saw his ghost. And _he_ doesn't blame me for what happened to him. _He_ was the one who told me I had to keep living!"

"You think I believe that for a _second?"_ Emberheart growled, now pulling her lips back into a snarl. "It's _your fault_ he's dead! _You_ misdiagnosed him! You _murdered_ my son!"

Not even a second passed before the ginger she-cat had suddenly launched herself for the other, claws flexed, teeth glinting under the moon, snow clinging to their pelts. She landed on top of the medicine cat, shoving her to the ground against the frozen dirt, bringing up a paw to strike with. But Willowfall desperately thrashed around, kicking out her back legs and sending Emberheart stumbling backwards, off balance.

Olivepaw watched, frozen, part of her telling that she had to do _something_ to stop them from fighting. But her paws wouldn't move. They seemed to have stuck to the icy ground, just like the dead leaves that lay beneath the layer of snow. She watched the fight with some sort of sick fascination as Emberheart brought her claws along Willowfall's flank, sending drops of blood splattering into the snow.

Willowfall reeled back, blindly lashing out a strike, hitting the ginger cat's muzzle. The warrior hissed in pain and ran forward, but the medicine cat dodged to the side. For a cat who hadn't had proper warrior training, she seemed to be doing alright.

Emberheart soon had her on the ground again, this time pinning her by the shoulders, pulling her lips back as she began to lower her head. Olivepaw's eyes widened, and she immediately clenched them shut, bracing herself.

A few moments later, a cry pierced the air, but it was short-lived and was immediately cut off.

Olivepaw's eyes flew open, her heart pounding wildly against her chest. _Oh, StarClan,_ she thought. _Oh StarClan. Willowfall's dead._ _Emberheart killed her._

But when she looked closer, she instead saw the long-furred shape of the medicine cat, panting, her back turned to the apprentice. She was standing over a lump in the snow. Emberheart.

Blood was seeping from the side of the ginger warrior's head. She wasn't moving. In a daze, Olivepaw spotted a small rock jutting from the ground. It was spotted with dark patches of blood. She let out a shaky breath, stumbling backwards. It seemed that she could finally move her legs, again. Had Emberheart's head been struck against that rock? The warrior still lay motionless. Her sides weren't heaving.

She was dead.

Emberheart was dead.

Olivepaw's thoughts were immediately broken off when Willowfall suddenly turned around, looking right into the apprentice's direction. The smaller cat's eyes grew huge, and without even thinking, she turned and began to run.

She could barely see and seemed to have lost all sense of direction as she darted through the trees. Panting, she tried to find her way back to the camp, but everything looked the same and she didn't know which way to go. A harsh wind swept by, freezing her to the bone as she heard only her own breathing and beating heart.

She paused for a moment, glancing back for just an instant. It was silent.

Swallowing, she flattened her ears; Willowfall didn't appear.

Letting out a deep sigh, she continued to scamper through the darkness, trembling. Moments later, the sound of water rushed through her ears; she was approaching the stream.

Her breathing loud in her ears, she saw the blurred image of the water in front of her. Her mind racing, she leaped into the air when she got close as she attempted to get to the other side.

However, her frantic state made her miscalculate the length of the jump, and within a heartbeat, she suddenly felt ice cold water all around her, her body hitting against hard rocks, the world spinning.

She let out a gasp, quickly staggering to her paws; the current wasn't fast enough to whisk her away. Shivering, and now dripping wet, she glanced around, wincing as her limbs throbbed from the impact.

Sucking in a breath, she took a step forward, attempting to get out of the water; however, she felt the rocks slip beneath her paws, and half a second later, she was falling, landing with a light splash back into the current. She felt her head hit hard against a rock, sending waves of pain coursing through her body. The next second, everything was gone.

. . . . .

Olivepaw blinked open her eyes; they stayed half-closed. Flicking an ear, she tried to figure out where she was; she was lying in a bed of cold moss, the back of her head throbbing painfully. She tried to remember what had happened, how she'd ended up here, but her mind was blank.

The sun was just beginning to rise; a dim yellow light poured in from the hole in the roof of the medicine den. With a bit of effort, the she-cat managed to lift her head to look around; Cedarpaw still lay in his own nest, his sides rising and falling shallowly. He hadn't woken up, yet.

"How are you feeling?" a quiet voice suddenly murmured. The apprentice looked up to see Willowfall standing before her, her blue eyes shining. And at that moment, everything that had happened that night came back to her, and with a frightening realization she became aware of the fact that she was lying in front of the cat who had just murdered Emberheart.

When she didn't speak, the medicine cat continued.

"I found you in the stream," she explained quietly, looking away, tail twitching uncomfortably. "I was out looking for a certain kind of root for Cedarpaw and I found you there. You hit your head against a rock. You were unconscious. You're lucky to be alive."

Olivepaw stared at her, nonplussed. Willowfall didn't know that the apprentice had seen what had happened. Something sparked in the medicine cat's eyes.

"What were you doing out there by yourself, anyway?"

Olivepaw swallowed, closing her eyes.

"I couldn't sleep," she muttered.

"Don't _ever_ leave camp by yourself again," the older cat replied sharply. "It's dangerous. You could have _died."_

_Like Emberheart?_ Olivepaw wanted to say, but she knew better.

"Anyway, you'd better rest here for a while," Willowfall murmured. "I'm going to go see if there's any food. You stay here."

The light gray she-cat flicked her tail, and without another word, slipped through the entrance and vanished into the morning light.

Olivepaw let out a shaky breath, opening her eyes. Every muscle in her body felt sore and bruised. She looked over at Cedarpaw, sleeping several taillengths away. Biting her lip, the she-cat managed to stagger to her paws; trembling, she took a few small steps over to where the tom lay and collapsed by his side.

Shaking, she lay her head on his back, clenching her eyes shut.

"Please wake up, Cedarpaw," she whispered. "...Please."

**Ja. I don't really have anything to say.**

**Please review! You'll get a Badgerkit plushie? (:**

**Till next time,**

**Pearly**


	9. Chapter 8: Another One

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while ajsldkfjal blahhh blah blah.**

**Recap: Olivepaw is worried about Cedarpaw, who hasn't woken up yet. Later in the night, Olivepaw wakes up to ind that Willowfall is gone. Curious, she sneaks out of camp and has a vision of Cedarpaw attacking her. She soon discovers Willowfall and Emberheart talking, and she listens to them, who are unaware that she's there. Emberheart threatens Willowfall, telling her she knows about her kits and that she should leave ShadowClan if she cares about them at all. They end up fighting, and when Olivepaw looks over the next moment, Emberheart is dead. Olivepaw runs back towards camp, but she slips in the stream and loses consciousness. She wakes up under Willowfall's care, who explains to her what happened, but shows no signs that she knew Olivepaw had seen her kill Emberheart. Olivepaw begs Cedarpaw to wake up.**

Chapter 8

_Another One_

[Ratpaw]

It was night, snow falling steadily as a dark shape darted through the forest. It stayed low to the ground, trotting past the trees, snow clinging to his dark gray pelt and amber eyes half-narrowed.

He had a feeling of worry and dread that he could be caught, but he tried to push it away, finding that a smile had crept onto his face. Exhilaration pulsed through him as he ran through the night, cold wind blowing his fur. An odd, familiar scent rose around him- ThunderClan. He was nearing the border.

A second later, he broke out from the trees, taking a step onto the old Twoleg path that separated the two territories. Everything was completely still and silent. He blinked softly, tail twitching as he looked around. There was no one in sight. He was alone.

He shivered in the cold, flattening his ears and lowering himself to the ground. He briefly thought about the possibility that a ThunderClan patrol should find him. Or, worse- a fox or a badger. So far from camp, no one would be able to hear him if he was in danger.

His thoughts dispersed when he heard a rustle from the bushes on the opposite side of the trail. He tensed, waiting, and a moment later, a small shape appeared. It was a ginger she-cat, green eyes glowing faintly, barely visible in the darkness. She looked at him for a moment before she smiled shyly, stepping forward.

"Hey, Ratpaw," she murmured, trying not to grin as widely as she was.

The tom smiled, taking a step forward, tail held high. "Hey, Russetpaw."

She grinned at him before sheepishly looking down.

"I wasn't sure if you'd remember," she admitted, shuffling her paws.

Ratpaw blinked. "Remember what?"

"To meet me here..."

He laughed lightly, shaking his head. "I was the one who asked you to meet me here, remember?"

She smiled softly, nodding her head. "I remember. You asked me at the Gathering last week." She blinked a few times, lifting her gaze to him. She frowned. "Why were you talking to me so much, then?"

"At the Gathering?" he mewed, slightly puzzled. He shrugged, tilting his head. "I don't know, I... I thought you were interesting. And you looked... alone. So I thought I'd talk to you."

She smiled a little, nodding thoughtfully. "It was fun," she murmured. "I don't have many friends in ThunderClan, so it was nice to talk to someone." She looked at him, their eyes meeting before she grinned a little, looking away. "I'm glad we could see each other. I thought we never would again."

Ratpaw frowned, taking another step towards her. She lifted her head in slight surprise, but she didn't move away. "Of course we can," he said quietly, smiling slightly. "And I hope we will. There's so much going on in ShadowClan right now," he added with a sigh, shaking his head. "With Reedfur's death and everything, everyone's been so tense. It's nice to get away from all that and be able to talk to someone like you."

Russetpaw blinked softly, as if not quite understanding but nodding a little anyway.

"I'm sorry about Reedfur," she murmured. "I remember seeing him during patrols and at the Gatherings. It seemed like he was really admired..."

Ratpaw nodded stiffly, not wanting to talk about it. He hadn't come here to talk about his own problems that he was trying to forget about.

"I heard about Honeystar," Ratpaw said quietly, changing the subject.

She frowned, nodding. "Yeah," she murmured. "Everyone was shocked. And not only that, but before she died, she made Bumblestar the leader, not Sagewhisker."

"Bumblestar," Ratpaw whispered, noticing the change she'd made in his name. "So he already got his nine lives?"

"He left a few hours ago," she answered. "He hasn't come back yet." She sighed, shaking her head. "And now that Sagewhisker's gone, nobody knows what to do. The rest of the Clan... They don't really like Bumblestar. They don't think that he's capable of running the Clan."

"Because he's a kittypet?"

"ThunderClan's always had a bad reputation for taking in kittypets," Russetpaw mewed quietly. "A long time ago, the Clan was full of them. And one of them was the leader." The she-cat sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws and lifting her head to the snowy sky. "But the leaders after him wanted to change that. They stopped taking in kittypets."

"Then what about...?"

"Honeystar found Bumblestar in our territory, half dead. He'd run away from his Twoleg nest and was attacked by a dog. She took him in out of pity, and Onespot helped him recover. And then..." She frowned, looking at her paws.

"And then...?"

"They fell in love."

Ratpaw looked at her curiously. "And that's why she let him stay?"

"Y...Yes. And now, no one is happy that he's leader instead of Sagewhisker. A few cats even left ThunderClan with her."

He shook his head, settling himself down beside her. He looked up at the clouds, snow falling gently onto his face. He noticed that they were getting thinner as the snow was reduced to a flurry, and now, he could see a small patch of sky.

"Seems like nothing's going well for any of the Clans," he muttered. "I heard that RiverClan is beginning to starve, so they're trying to take WindClan territory."

"Leafbare is the hardest," Russetpaw said quietly, moving towards him just slightly so that their pelts were almost brushing. Ratpaw noticed. "I hope everything will be alright."

"It will be," the tom murmured, not sure which of the two he was trying to convince.

They sat for a few minutes in silence, but it didn't feel awkward. It felt, somehow, as if they'd been friends forever and that there wasn't any need for words. Russetpaw smiled softly, lowering her gaze.

"I should go... Bumblestar is bound to be back soon, and I shouldn't miss the naming of the new deputy..."

"No, of course not," said Ratpaw, blinking as he stood up. They looked at each other, waiting for the other to speak.

"...Do you want to meet me again tomorrow night?" the she-cat asked quietly, frowning as if she was expecting him to say no.

But Ratpaw grinned and nodded. "Same time, same place?"

"Sounds good," she purred, turning and bounding off into the darkness, a bounce in her step.

Ratpaw watched her go silently, an askew smile on his face. He felt happy.

Letting out a sigh the minute she was finally out of earshot, he turned and stepped back into his own territory, shivering in the cold.

He was so focussed on thinking about her that he was hardly paying attention to where he was going as his mind automatically began to lead him back towards camp. Though they'd only spoken twice, now, she seemed... different than any other she-cat he'd met. Certainly more different than Snowpaw and Frostpaw, who were always loud and outgoing.

That's what made Russetpaw so sweet, he thought. She seemed so pure and kind and innocent. Of course, Ratpaw was aware that he barely knew her. His mother had always told him not to judge a cat by a first glance.

But, still; the moment they'd seen each other a week before during the patrol... She must have felt something, too, or else she wouldn't have come. Right?

_No, Ratpaw,_ a voice in his head seemed to tell him. _You can't have anything to do with her. She's from another Clan._

_It's not like we're doing anything bad,_ Ratpaw reasoned with himself. _I barely know her. We're hardly friends._

_But what if it leads to romance?_ the voice asked. _You know that it's completely forbidden. It's against the warrior code. Nothing good will come of it._

_You don't know that,_ Ratpaw thought. _Maybe nothing _bad_ will come of it, either._

The voice seemed to shut up.

He could soon hear rushing water; he was nearing the stream. He paused for a moment, glancing around to make sure he was going the right way. He'd been so preoccupied with his own thoughts that he wasn't so sure.

He sighed, his footsteps silent in the snow as he approached the running water. It trickled peacefully though the woods.

Tiredly, he placed a paw into the water as he began to cross- but he quickly recoiled when he felt something soft beneath his foot.

Taking a step back, Ratpaw blinked before leaning forward to get a closer look. A moment later, he let out a choked gasp, his eyes flying wide open as he stumbled backwards, nearly tripping on his own legs.

In the stream, a cat lay on its side, almost completely submerged in water. Its mouth and pale green eyes were wide open, its lips curled as if in shock. Its body was covered in scratches, its fur matted, its limbs twisted beneath its own body. It was unmistakably dead.

After a moment of trying to get over the shock, the apprentice hesitantly took another step forward, looking closer.

It was Emberheart.

"Oh, StarClan," he breathed, shaking just slightly. What in the name of _StarClan_ had happened?

His eyes suddenly widened, and he leaned forward, examining the back of her head. There was a dark mark on it, as if it had been struck.

Just as he thought.

An image of Reedfur passed through his mind, and with horror, he came to a realization- Emberheart had died just the same way as Reedfur had. She'd slipped into the stream, hitting her head, and...

StarClan, what could he do? He had to tell someone, of course, but he wasn't thinking straight. What if they didn't believe him? What if they thought _he_ had killed her?

No. That was ridiculous. Emberheart had been one of the Clan's best fighters; he'd never be able to beat her.

But still, he couldn't believe it. Two cats had died a week apart, both in the same way. It hardly seemed at all likely.

And yet here he was, standing before Emberheart who was laying motionless in the stream.

Within three seconds, he realized that he was now running towards camp, panting as his heart beat loudly. He couldn't believe that she was really dead. He'd known her all his life; though, they'd never really talked.

But he didn't care. The fact was that he had just found her dead body in the water.

A gust of snowy wind swept past, ruffling his fur as he ran. He was trying to imagine how they would react. How Minnowstar would react.

He suddenly stopped in his tracks. What if they asked him why he was out in the woods, alone? How would he explain that? He wasn't full of himself, but he _knew_ that he was the apprentice most respected by his superiors. If he were to tarnish that reputation... No. He could be _exiled_ if they found out what exactly he'd been doing. Minnowstar wasn't one to take punishments lightly. StarClan knew what could happen to him.

He swallowed, letting out a shaky breath of air as a shiver ran down his spine. He glanced around the dark, snowy forest, wondering what he should do.

He shook his head; even if he didn't tell everyone about Emberheart, they'd be sure to discover her sooner or later, right? If they didn't by nightfall, then they'd be sure to send out a search party. They'd be _sure_ to find her. There was no need to put himself in any sort of danger to tell them something they were bound to discover within a day, anyway.

He began to relax, if only just slightly. He began walking again, his pace slower this time. He found that, despite the horrific discover he'd just made, a tiny smile was on his face. When he realized this, he quickly wiped it away.

The scent of many cats washed over him; he'd reached camp. Staying close to the ground, he began down the shallow slope and into the hollow. He spotted Icewhisker and Briarclaw on the opposite side, but they apparently hadn't seen him. He wasn't even sure if they were awake.

He let out a relieved breath of air, slowly creeping over to the apprentices' den.

But on the way, he spotted a cat passing by- it was his sister, Olivepaw. Her head was low, and she was headed towards the medicine cat den.

She lifted her head, and their gazes met; her pale green eyes glowed dimly, a grave expression on her face. Ratpaw was sure that she was trying to tell him something, but before he could do anything, she turned away and continued on, ears flattened and tail twitching. Something was wrong. Maybe he should have followed after her, but by then, she had already vanished into Willowfall's den.

He sighed, slipping into the apprentices' den. It seemed empty without Olivepaw and Cedarpaw.

Settling down by Frostpaw and Snowpaw, he closed his eyes, his mind going back and forth between Emberheart and Russetpaw until he fell asleep and dreamed of them.

**So, not that exciting of a chapter, but eh. Too tired to care. The little Ratpaw and Russetpaw scene is important. :)**

**Review and get a Russetpaw plushie!**

**TNT,**

**Pearly. :)**


	10. Chapter 9: Poppies

**Omg, Pearly updated in _less than a week?_ The world is ending!**

**Recap: One night, Ratpaw meets with Russetpaw, a ThunderClan she-cat. It turns out Ratpaw had talked to her at the Gathering and asked her to meet with him. They talk for a bit, and Ratpaw learns that most of ThunderClan's cats don't like Bumbleclaw and don't think that he's capable of being a leader. He had been a kittypet, and Honeystar had let him stay in the Clan because they'd fallen in love. They soon separate, but promise that they'll meet with each other the next night. Ratpaw happily makes his way back to camp, but then stumbles upon Emberheart's dead body in the stream. He thinks that he drowned the same way Reedfur had. He plans to tell everyone of his discovery, but decides not to so that they wouldn't question why he was out in the woods by himself. He goes back to camp and sees Olivepaw, a worried expression on her face.**

**PS Jayfeather4ever, still can't PM you, but I'll just keep responding to your reviews here (: Thanks for reading, as always! You rock my socks. (;**

Chapter 9

_Poppies_

[Snowpaw]

It was evening, and a particularly cold and snowy day. The wind was harsh, and it had been harder than normal to find food. The sun was just setting, but the clouds were so thick that it was already dark.

Cats were gathered in ShadowClan's camp, forming a semi-circle around one cat that lay still in the center. It was just like that one day, barely over a week ago.

Snowpaw blinked softly, her head lowered, her legs shaking because of the cold. She let out a breath that clouded the crisp air.

Laying in the snow, in front of the entire Clan, was a ginger she-cat. She was covered in scrapes and bruises, her fur matted, her mouth wide open. At least her pale green eyes had been closed.

Snowpaw frowned, wondering how something like this could happen. _Again._

Minnowstar slowly stepped forward, her silver and gray fur snow-tipped and ruffling in the breeze. Her blue eyes were narrowed as she glanced around at the cats looking at her expectantly. Harestep, the deputy, sat a few foxlengths away, watching.

She flicked her long tail and called out, "Emberheart was found in the stream earlier today. Unfortunately, by the time we got to her, she had already passed on."

She paused for a moment, letting it sink in. Cats were lowering their heads, murmuring prayers under their breaths. Snowpaw bowed her head as well, but she knew just as well as the rest of them that Emberheart had never been close to anyone except for her own family. Her only son, Badgerkit, and her mate, who had been killed by ThunderClan. Now that she was dead, everyone was finally paying attention to her.

"When we first examined her, we thought that she had died the same way Reedfur had," Minnowstar continued with a lash of her tail. "By slipping into the stream, hitting her head and drowning. This may indeed be the case. However..." She straightened up, and cats looked at her with wonder and concern. "...We found that she has several scratches all over her body," she said slowly. "Scratches that look quite similar to claw marks. Furthermore, before the snow began to fall as heavily as it is now, there were several tracks of pawprints all around where Emberheart was found. One of them led to ThunderClan."

Everyone began murmuring to each other with alarm. Snowpaw pricked her ears, glancing at the other apprentices she was sitting with. Frostpaw had a worried frown on her face as they exchanged glances. Olivepaw didn't speak. The end of Ratpaw's tail was twitching.

"So you think that a ThunderClan cat killed her?" Furzetail called out worriedly. Snowpaw glanced at her mother; she was sitting with Icewhisker and Briarclaw.

Minnowstar began pacing back and forth. "We didn't pick up any recent ThunderClan scents," she said, ear flicking. "But judging from Emberheart's wounds, it doesn't seem like it was an accident. She had scratches even where her body hadn't hit the rocks. Furthermore, it seems very unlikely that two cats could die the same way, just a week apart."

There was an uneasy silence for a few moments before a voice called out what was on everyone's minds- "So you think that one of _us_ killed her, then."

Heads turned towards the back of the crowd, where Willowfall was. She was standing, her long, almost white fur blending in with the snow. The expression in her blue eyes was hard to read. Snowpaw blinked.

Minnowstar stopped pacing and looked at her, whiskers twitching. "It's a possibility," she said slowly, her voice hard. She narrowed her eyes a bit. "But I will do _everything_ in my power to discover what really happened to her."

"Willowfall," Harestep called, "perhaps you can communicate with StarClan. If you can talk to Emberheart, you can ask her how she died."

"That... isn't so easy to do," murmured the medicine cat. "StarClan only communicates with me when _they_ want to. I can't simply call them whenever I want-"

"Then you can go to the Moonpool," Minnowstar said, eyes narrowed, her voice near a growl. Snowpaw wondered why it was. "Unless you want _me_ to go."

The apprentice thought she could see Willowfall flinch, but it could have been her imagination.

"I'll go," the medicine cat mumbled, lowering her head. Minnowstar nodded.

"Good. Then you should leave within a few days. I want to get this matter settled as quickly as I can..." She glanced around the crowd; "...No matter what the answer may be."

It was completely silent as the leader made her way over to Emberheart. She looked at the dead cat for a moment before bowing her head, touching her nose to the ginger cat's ear. She pulled away and stepped back, letting each cat go up and mourn.

As cats went up one by one, Snowpaw glanced over at the other apprentices.

"Wow," she murmured. "D'you really think that someone from our own Clan could've killed her?"

Frostpaw was looking away. Ratpaw twitched his tail uncomfortably and looked at his sister, who was staring at her paws.

Snowpaw blinked. "Guys?"

"I dunno," Frostpaw said quietly. "I guess it's possible. But Emberheart was never really close to anyone. I don't know why anyone would want her dead."

"Maybe the one who killed her wasn't the one who _wanted_ her dead," Olivepaw said suddenly, still looking down. The other apprentices looked at her.

"What do you mean, Olivepaw?" Ratpaw mewed, frowning. "Why else-"

"Maybe Emberheart wanted her _killer_ dead."

The apprentices were silent for a moment, glancing at each other uncertainly.

"Olivepaw," Ratpaw murmured softly, "you're talking as if you know what happened."

"It's just a possibility," the she-cat mewed under her breath. She lifted her head but looked out into the distance. "Maybe Emberheart got in a fight with someone and was killed in self-defense."

"But why would Emberheart get into a fight?" Snowpaw pressed. "What did she have against anyone?"

Ratpaw's eyes seemed to light up, and he suddenly glanced at his sister. She looked at him, eyes glowing; they seemed to be talking to each other without words.

"What is it?" urged Snowpaw, looking back and forth between them.

Olivepaw shook her head. "It's nothing. I'm going to go mourn for Emberheart, and then I'm going to visit Cedarpaw."

"I'll come, too," Ratpaw murmured.

"Me, too," Frostpaw mewed. "We should all go to visit him. How's he doing, Olivepaw?"

"Better," she said quietly. "Willowfall thinks he'll wake up soon." With a flick of the tail, she turned and approached Emberheart, her head bent low.

Snowpaw glanced at the others and followed after her until she reached the dead she-cat. Up close, she looked so different. It was hard to believe she was actually dead. She looked at the scratches that Minnowstar had talked about and understood her theory.

When Olivepaw had moved away, Snowpaw leaned over, touching her nose to the tip of the cat's ear. A part of her wondered how many more deaths there would be this Leafbare. She hoped this would be the last, but for some reason, she wasn't convinced.

When all of the apprentices had finished, they silently made their way towards Willowfall's den. Everyone was being eerily quiet- even Frostpaw.

When they had slipped through the branches and into the den, Snowpaw jumped a bit when she saw that Cedarpaw was lying in his nest, staring straight at them, his head lifted slightly. Olivepaw's eyes widened and she rushed over to him, lowering herself so she was at his level.

"Cedarpaw," she breathed, shaking her head in disbelief. "You're awake!"

"How are you feeling?" Ratpaw mewed, walking up beside his sister. "You've been unconscious for two days."

"Yeah," Frostpaw chimed, "what happened? When we were on that patrol, you just collapsed on the way back to camp."

Cedarpaw blinked softly, amber eyes sparkling. He looked at Olivepaw, who was staring back at him, mouth open slightly.

"I'm so glad you're alright," she murmured. "I was worried about you, Cedarpaw. But... what exactly happened to you?" She lowered her gaze. "Before you passed out, you had this look of... terror on your face. What happened to you...?"

The light brown tabby tom's eyes suddenly darkened, his whiskers twitching. He looked away.

"Cedarpaw, you can tell us," murmured Ratpaw. "We're all friends. Whatever it is, we can help you..."

But the tom just shook his head slightly, looking down. Snowpaw thought that she could see him shaking, just slightly. Her fur prickled with unease. Cedarpaw had never been one to talk much, but ever since his father died, he hadn't said one word. She wanted to help, but she knew that she couldn't. He wouldn't even talk to Olivepaw, his best friend.

"What's going on in here?" a voice suddenly sounded, causing the apprentices to jump. Turning, they saw that Willowfall had come in, tail lashing. Before any of them could explain, her eyes fell on Cedarpaw, and she blinked in surprise. "Cedarpaw, you're awake!" she mewed, immediately retreating to the back of the den where she began to prepare some herbs. She glanced at the apprentices. "We need space. Everyone, please wait outside." Snowpaw exchanged glances with the others, and they turned to leave.

But first, Willowfall glanced over her shoulder. "Olivepaw?"

The she-cat flinched a bit, glancing at the medicine cat with slight hesitation. "Yes...?"

The gray she-cat looked at her for a moment before murmuring, "...You can stay."

. . .

Snowpaw was dreaming.

She was standing in a forest, one that she'd never been in before. The trees seemed to stretch up to the sky, which was only a bright, white light. The ground was covered in grass and red poppies, and the trees were in full bloom. A soft breeze warmed and ruffled her fur, and chipmunks were chasing each other, jumping from branch to branch. A flock of crows screeched and flew overheard, a trail of black feathers falling to the ground behind them.

Snowpaw blinked and looked around, wondering where she was. She'd never been anywhere like this before, not even in her dreams.

A surprisingly familiar scent came over her, and a moment later, she heard a pleasant voice purr, "Hello, Snowpaw."

She turned around, eyes widening when she saw, several taillengths away from her, a ginger she-cat, pelt glowing brilliantly, poppies at her feet. She was looking at the apprentice, smiling kindly as she sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws.

Snowpaw stared at her in surprise before meowing, "Emberheart...? Is that you?"

Emberheart smiled to herself.

**Yeaaaah shortish chapter, oops. Sorry.**

**Please review! :) You'll get... an Emberheart plushie?**

**TNT,**

**Pearlsley**


	11. Chapter 10: Monster

**Man, I've been on such a roll with my updating. I'm _never_ this fast.**

**Recap: The ShadowClan cats discuss Emberheart's death, and Minnowstar says that it's likely that she was killed. She asks Willowfall to go to the Moonpool and ask Emberheart how she died, and Willowfall reluctantly agrees. The apprentices go and visit Cedarpaw, who has just woken up. He seems afraid of something, but he doesn't say a word. Later that night, Snowpaw dreams that she's standing in a forest filled with poppies. She sees Emberheart, who smiles to herself.**

Chapter 10

_Monster_

[Willowfall]

_"Oh, StarClan, what's happening to him?" screeched the ginger she-cat, green eyes huge, her body trembling as she stared at her son. "Willowfall, why is he wheezing like that!"_

_ "Calm down, Emberheart!" came the low growl from her leader, Graystar. The old she-cat's eyes were dull with fatigue, yet still glowing fiercely. She was hunched over, her vertebrae clearly visible. She lifted her gaze, looking at the ginger cat. "Fretting isn't going to help. Willowfall has this under control. Don't you, Willowfall?"_

_ "Y... Yes," the medicine cat murmured, her throat dry. She hoped that they couldn't see that on the inside, she was panicking. Something wasn't right. Badgerkit was lying in his nest, his tiny body twitching, and his conditions were getting worse by the moment. His eyes were wide as he gasped for air, and..._

_ ...Oh, StarClan._

_ "Deathberries," Willowfall breathed, frozen with shock for a moment. Graystar and Emberheart lifted their heads._

_ "What?" the leader hissed, tail lashing. "You said this was a fever!"_

_ "This is happening too quickly for it to be a fever," Willowfall said, shaking her head in disbelief. How couldn't she see it before?_

_ No. There was still time. Badgerkit wasn't dead yet._

_ "Yarrow," she whispered, whipping her head towards the back of the den. Where was it?_

_ She hurried to the back, heart drumming against her chest. This kit's life was in her paws. And if she didn't hurry, it would be too late._

_ She found it. A small clump of white, dried up flowers. She grasped some with her teeth, but before she could do anything, she heard a loud, shrill shriek that made her jump. Emberheart._

_ Willowfall turned around, seeing the ginger warrior stare at her son in horror, eyes huge and mouth wide open. Badgerkit wasn't moving._

Dear StarClan,_ thought the medicine cat, stumbling over with the flowers and quickly chewing some up._

_ "Willowfall, he isn't moving!" Emberheart shrieked. "Why isn't he moving? Willowfall!"_

_ Shakily, the gray she-cat placed some of the yarrow in Badgerkit's mouth._

_ "Swallow, Badgerkit," she whispered, but it was a half-hearted demand, because she knew that the kit was already dead._

_ "He... H-He's..." Emberheart's voice quivered violently, eyes glowing intensely as tiny squeaks escaped her mouth. Two seconds later, her legs gave out and she collapsed to the ground beside her son. "Oh, StarClan," she cried, burying her face into her son's fur. "Badgerkit... Badgerkit, sweetie, wake up... Badgerkit...!"_

_ Willowfall felt a sharp pain in her heart, and she stepped back, shaking her head with horror and disbelief. Graystar was watching silently._

_ "Emberheart," the medicine cat murmured. "I-I... I'm so sorry-"_

_ "How could you!" shot back the warrior, her voice a mix of a gasp, a growl, and a distressed cry. She shook her head slowly, uttering inaudible words before she lowered her head again, her entire body trembling, eyes clenched shut._

_ Willowfall let out a breath of air, eyes wide as she shook. She couldn't believe what had just happened. What _she_ had just done. It couldn't be true. One minute, Badgerkit had been playing in the snow. The next minute, he was dead. It happened too quickly for it to have been real._

_ Shaking her head, the medicine turned, running out of the den._

_..._

"Willowfall? Are you alright?"

The medicine cat blinked and glanced over at Onespot, who was walking beside her. The black and white tom looked at her with a bit of concern.

"...Yeah," she muttered, looking away. "I'm fine."

It was half-moon, and just a few days after Emberheart's death. Each half-moon, the medicine cats from every Clan met and walked to the Moonpool together, where they could communicate with StarClan. Willowfall was traveling with Onespot, along with Forestwind and Jaguarpaw from WindClan, and Bluebird and Brightpaw from RiverClan. It was a clear but cold night, and the half-moon glowed brilliantly against the black sky as they trudged through the moors.

All she could think about within the past few days was Emberheart. And when she thought of Emberheart, she thought of Badgerkit... And when she thought of Badgerkit, she thought about how different her life had been before he'd died. Before he'd been _killed_, she corrected herself, remembering that someone had purposefully poisoned him. But who?

That was the least of her worries. Minnowstar seemed dead set on figuring out _exactly_ what had happened to Emberheart. Yes, she had killed her, had slammed her head against a rock until she was dead. But it had only been self-defense... Right?

She blinked softly, realizing that this was the second life she'd taken _just to protect her kits._ Maybe Blacktail had been right. Maybe they should have ended it much sooner than they had. But what they had done couldn't be erased. They had kits together, and even though they would never know who she was, she still had the passion of a mother within her. _That's_ why Graystar and Emberheart had ended up dead. Because they had known their secret and had threatened her with it.

She wasn't worried that anyone would ever find out about Graystar- not saying that it didn't nag at her in the corners of her mind, looming over her like a ghost _every day, _because it did. But she'd been dead for a year now. No one seemed to care anymore.

But Emberheart... What if they were to find out what had happened to her?

She only thanked StarClan that Minnowstar wasn't going to the Moonpool herself. At least Willowfall could make up a story, telling everyone that she had spoken to her and she really _had_ just slipped and drowned in the stream. But would they believe that? What about those scratches? Maybe it had only been some brambles. Yes, that was it. Or a hare that had fought back.

But what if Emberheart appeared to Minnowstar in her dreams and told her the truth? Leaders always had a fairly strong connection to StarClan, and Minnowstar wasn't an exception.

...And what about Frostpaw?

She had been surprised when the apprentice had told her about her experience with Honeystar. What if she had an unusually strong connection to StarClan? What if _she_ got some sort of vision?

And Olivepaw? Oh, StarClan, Olivepaw. For the past few days, Willowfall had noticed how strangely the apprentice had been acting around her. Was it just a coincidence that she had also happened to find her in the stream that night, unconscious? What had she been doing out there, by herself?

She hadn't _seen_ her and Emberheart, had she?

Every time she thought this hard about it- which had been almost every minute of every day since the ginger cat had died- her heart would start racing and she would grow paranoid. But she swallowed, trying to act normal in front of the other medicine cats.

"Onespot, I'm sorry I couldn't be there last week when you were caring for Honeystar," she said quietly as they walked. In front of them, Bluebird and Forestwind were chatting away as Jaguarpaw and Brightpaw laughed and joked.

"Willowfall, don't worry about it," the tom murmured. "You couldn't help it that you had to care for one of your apprentices. And even if you had been there, I don't think she would have made it." He flicked his tail, glancing at her. "By the way, Willowfall, did I tell you how impressed I was with Frostpaw? She acted just like a medicine cat."

Willowfall smiled just a bit. "She told me that she knew what coltsfoot was, even though I hadn't told her."

Onespot nodded. "Haven't you been looking for an apprentice?" he asked after a moment.

She looked at him. "You think that Frostpaw could be my apprentice?"

"She's special," he said thoughtfully. He smiled slightly; "And she would have a great mentor."

Willowfall laughed lightly. "She's almost done with her warrior training," she said. "I think it's a bit too late."

Onespot shrugged. "Well, you never know. She could change her mind." Willowfall was silent.

"So, how's it been going with Bumblestar as leader?" she asked, tail twitching. "Has he picked a deputy?"

"Yes," mewed Onespot. "Spotfur is deputy. The Clan was at least happy with _that_ decision. Spotfur is a respected senior warrior."

"It doesn't sound like Bumblestar is too popular, then," the ShadowClan cat murmured.

The tom shook his head. "He's never been, really. But now that he took Sagewhisker's place as leader... No one's happy. Not only that, but Bumblestar hardly knows what he's doing. He forgot to send out any patrols today, so Spotfur had to arrange them himself." He shook his head. "StarClan knows where this will lead."

The wind swept by the six cats, causing Willowfall to shiver in the cold. She would occasionally stop to shake the snow off of her paws, but it wouldn't really help.

They were getting closer to the Moonpool. The stream trickled nearby, the half-moon shining off of it. Willowfall could smell fresh water.

A moment later, they began down the winding slope that led to the pool. Imprinted in the path were the ancient pawsteps of cats long before them, before the Clans had even lived by the lake. Willowfall felt as her paws stepped over them.

Every since she'd killed Graystar, it was rare that StarClan communicated with her. And now that she had _another_ cat's blood on her paws, she wouldn't have been surprised if they were to completely give up on her. Most of the time, she would have to lie and tell the other medicine cats that StarClan had come to her, just like they had to them. And no one ever suspected anything.

She blinked, suddenly wondering if Emberheart was even _in_ StarClan. She'd threatened the lives of her kits and had even attacked _her_, after all.

Maybe she'd find out tonight.

The other cats settled down by the water as it lapped peacefully at the edges. It twinkled brightly with the light of the moon, almost relaxing Willowfall just the smallest bit.

Almost.

Sucking in a breath of air and trying to ignore the feeling of dread that had somehow taken hold of her, she leaned over and lapped up some of the ice cold water.

She felt drowsy right away, almost light-headed as she curled up into a tight ball, squinting her eyes shut. A second later, she was asleep.

...

She opened her eyes with a start, finding, somewhat to her surprise, that she was standing in a clearing, tall grass and red poppies surrounding her. The trees seemed to stretch up forever, their leaves dark green. The sky was white, and she had to squint her eyes and look away.

This was the first time in a while that she'd had a dream like this. She blinked; if this was StarClan, why was it so... empty? And something about it looked... different than the StarClan she remembered. But she was sure it wasn't the Dark Forest, either. She shook her head, dazed.

"Hello, Willowfall," came a low purr from behind her, and the medicine cat's fur stood on end. She knew whose voice that was. She swallowed, her heart drumming as she slowly turned around.

Emberheart was standing across from her, her fur blowing softly, a very faint glow around her. Her green eyes were sparkling with something that Willowfall couldn't put her paw on, and a small smirk lined her face.

"Emberheart," the gray cat murmured, taking a step back, eyes widening, claws digging into the ground in case she were to attack.

"Surprised to see me?" the spirit grinned, white teeth flashing as she took a few steps forward. Willowfall was frozen, unable to move.

"This... This isn't _StarClan..._ Is it...?" the medicine cat spluttered, shaking her head, eyes big.

Emberheart chuckled, lifting a paw to examine her flexed claws before glancing at the other she-cat. "Actually, Willowfall, it is. Not that you would know. The spirits haven't talked to you since you killed Graystar, is that right...?"

"You know about that," Willowfall whispered, more as a statement than a question.

"That's one advantage to being dead, Willowfall," replied the ginger cat smoothly, smirking. "You know a lot more than when you were alive."

"But how are you here? In StarClan?" Willowfall rasped. "You tried to kill me, and you threatened to kill my kits-"

"But I _didn't_ kill you," Emberheart grinned, clearly enjoying herself. "_Or_ your kits. In StarClan's eyes, I've done nothing wrong." She chuckled, shaking her head in amusement as she smiled at the medicine cat. "It's too bad that's not the case with you, isn't it...?" She took another step forward, their faces now just a mouselength apart. Willowfall didn't dare move, and it took all of her will to keep her gaze locked with Emberheart's. She swallowed. "A medicine who's murdered two cats in cold blood," the dead cat said softly, shaking her head in mock sympathy. "What a shame that a cat like you will end up in the Dark Forest."

"It wasn't cold blood," Willowfall muttered, finally lowering her head and looking down at her paws. "If I hadn't killed Graystar, she would have killed my kits. And I only killed _you_ in self-defense..."

"That doesn't matter," hissed Emberheart, eyes suddenly narrowing to slits as she pulled back her lips. "The fact remains that two cats are _dead_ because of you. And one of them is me." She came even closer, their pelts almost brushing as she put her mouth to the medicine cat's ear. Willowfall flinched, but she remained silent and didn't pull away. "And just because I'm dead doesn't mean I can't do anything to you," the cat hissed in her ear. "In fact, you've made it much easier for me to do whatever I'd like. And as for you...?" She pulled back just slightly, their eyes meeting again. She was grinning. "...You can't do _anything _to me."

"I'm not afraid," Willowfall murmured. Emberheart smiled.

"Then why are your legs shaking...?"

The medicine cat blinked; she hadn't realized. She swallowed, narrowing her eyes as she looked at the cat. "If you do anything to me, then StarClan will know, and they'll banish you to the Dark Forest." She hoped that Emberheart couldn't hear her voice waver.

"They won't know," she insisted, casually flicking her tail. The corners of her lips raised into a smirk. "And don't worry, it's not _you_ I plan on doing anything to. Not yet, anyway."

Willowfall let out a tiny gasp. "Emberheart, I swear, if you touch anyone in ShadowClan, or my kits..."

"Then what?" pressed the spirit, laughing lightly. "I already told you, Willowfall, you can't do anything to me. I'm already dead. And at least _I_ don't live alone in the Dark Forest, like you will someday."

"Then why are you alone _now?"_ growled the medicine cat. "Where's Badgerkit, then?"

Emberheart's eyes darkened and she pulled her lips back.

"Don't _ever_ say the name of my son," she hissed, looking furious. A second later, her whole demeanor changed, and she smirked again, eyes flashing. "I'm afraid it's time for you to go, Willowfall," she said, licking a paw. She locked eyes with the medicine cat. "But just remember that even though I'm dead now, I'm not gone. Not by a long shot."

Willowfall didn't speak. She felt sick as the world around her began to fade.

"Oh, and Willowfall?" purred Emberheart. "You can tell Minnowstar that I drowned in the stream. I didn't plan on telling her that you killed me. Not yet, anyway."

The medicine cat made no reply. The woods spun around her until everything was white.

...

She woke up with a gasp, jumping to her paws, eyes wide as her fur fluffed out. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears, a perfect, unbroken image of Emberheart clear in her mind. She wasn't safe from her. And she never would be.

"Willowfall? Are you alright?"

The she-cat jumped at the voice, whirling around to see Onespot looking at her in concern. He had just woken up and was getting to his paws. The others were still asleep. "You look like you've seen a monster."

"I have," murmured Willowfall, but she wasn't sure if he'd heard her. The ThunderClan tom blinked in confusion, but said nothing else.

As the group finally returned home, she didn't say a word. She stared at the ground as she walked, and when it was time for the cats to separate, she found that she didn't want to walk back through her territory alone. Onespot agreed that he'd walk her halfway, alarmed by how scared she'd been acting.

When they got to the stream, the ThunderClan tom told her to get some rest before he made his way back towards his own territory. Willowfall watched him go, a frown on her face.

She turned and took a few steps towards the stream, looking down at the water. In the dimness of the night, she could see her own reflection peering back at her.

And as she locked gazes with the cat in the water, she murmured quietly to herself, "A monster, huh...?"

**/chapter end  
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**Tell me what you think :) Onespot plushies for everyone who reviews!**

**TNT,**

**Pearly**


	12. Chapter 11: Red Snow

**Heyo!**

**Recap: It's Halfmoon, and Willowfall journeys with the other medicine cats to the Moonpool. She daydreams about the day that Badgerkit died, and she worries that the Clan will find out that she'd killed Emberheart. When she falls asleep, she sees Emberheart in her dreams, in a place that looks a bit different than the StarClan she'd known; yet she's certain it isn't the Dark Forest. Emberheart tells her she's in StarClan because she never did anything wrong in her life; though she'd threatened Willowfall and her kits, she'd never actually harmed them, and in StarClan's eyes, that was okay. She tells Willowfall that even though she's dead, she isn't gone, it it won't be the last that she sees of her. Willowfall wakes up, terrified, and Onespot tells her she looks like she's seen a monster. Back in her own territory, Willowfall looks at her reflection in the stream and thinks about what Onespot said.**

**Long recap, sorry.**

**Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing, you are all lovely :)**

Chapter 11

_Red Snow_

[Cedarpaw]

"Are you sure he's alright to be taken out on a hunting patrol?" Briarclaw was asking Willowfall, as if Cedarpaw didn't even exist. "He doesn't need more rest?"

"It's been a week since he woke up," the medicine cat responded, glancing at the warrior as she sorted through herbs. "He's had plenty of time to rest. It's better that he goes out to get some fresh air than stay cooped up in the den all day." She let her gaze fall on the apprentice. "But only if you're up to it, Cedarpaw. You don't _have_ to go, you know. Briarclaw and I just thought it would be a good idea."

The tom nodded slightly before looking away, tail twitching.

Briarclaw frowned as he looked at his apprentice in concern, but he nodded. "Alright, then. Cedarpaw, you wait outside. I have to talk to Willowfall for a minute. Harestep, Weaselfoot and Olivepaw are going, too; go wait with them."

Cedarpaw flicked his ear, knowing that the minute he'd leave, they would start talking about him. But he said nothing as he stepped out of the den and into the snowy clearing.

Every since he'd woken up a week earlier, he hadn't been able to keep things straight. He wouldn't be able to focus on one thing for too long, because the vision he'd had that day kept haunting him, in both dreams and daydreams. He'd be jumpy and frightened and had hardly ever left the medicine den.

But despite how distant he was acting, he noticed. He could tell. Cats were talking about him behind his back, distancing themselves from him. His own _mother_ had hardly talked to him. StarClan, they thought he was crazy, didn't they? Even Olivepaw, who would visit him every day, would look at him with alarm. He knew that she was just worried about him, but it was deeper than just that.

He'd considered telling her, because she was honestly the only cat that seemed to care about him. Maybe Briarclaw did, too, but that was only because he was his mentor and he _had_ to. But he'd always been close to Olivepaw, and for this reason he'd sometimes get a surge of guilt when he thought about how much he'd been hiding from her. It wasn't just the vision he hadn't told her about. That was the least of his worries. He had yet to tell her any of his secrets. In fact, he'd never told _anyone_ his secrets. And they were secrets that tormented him every day and every night.

Maybe that's why he had shut himself away from everyone else, why he hadn't spoken a single word to anyone for weeks. But he couldn't tell anyone about the things that haunted him. Would they even believe him?

Perhaps it would be better if Olivepaw stopped caring for him so much. If she were to forget about him and never speak with him again, if she were to go talk with the other apprentices more, to make more friends with the warriors. He frowned. He didn't like that solution. But he didn't like what he was doing to her, either.

He mused. Maybe he should just tell her. _Only_ her. He would finally get everything off his chest, and then maybe he wouldn't feel so tortured. She would finally understand everything he'd been going through, and... and she could help him through it.

But what if she were to turn against him? Then he really _would_ have no one.

StarClan, thinking like this made him crazy. Even crazier than the rest of the Clan seemed to think he was. He suddenly wished that he had Waterkit there. He'd have been an apprentice, now.

"Hey, Cedarpaw," came a mew, and he flinched, his thoughts jumbling as he raised his head to see Olivepaw walking towards him, pale green eyes flickering. She was smiling just slightly, though it was a somewhat half-hearted smile. He could tell she was still worried about him.

He took a step forward and met her, looking at her with a small frown.

"I'm glad you're coming on the patrol today," she murmured, looking down. "I've missed having you there."

Cedarpaw looked at his paws, for some reason the words she was saying making him feel even _more_ terrible. His legs were shaking just faintly, and he wondered if this was a bad idea.

Olivepaw's tail lifted in alarm, and she came closer to him, concerned.

"Hey," she murmured, nudging him softly. He hesitantly lifted his gaze, and his eyes met hers. Hers were shining with worry and sadness as she looked at him. "Cedarpaw, I don't know what's been wrong with you lately," she said softly, almost in a whisper. "But whatever it is, I'm worried about you. And I'm even more worried that you're too afraid to tell me what's wrong."

The tom flinched and pulled away. Olivepaw stared at him, looking hurt.

"I just want to help," she murmured, lowering her gaze. "I hate seeing you like this. And honestly, I just wish that you would talk to me."

Cedarpaw frowned, his mouth opening a little. But by then, the she-cat had turned to pad over to Harestep and Weaselfoot, who were waiting. Her tail was dragging behind her.

The tom sighed, spotting Briarclaw emerge from the medicine den. The warrior looked at his apprentice and flicked his tail, signaling him over to the group.

"Is everyone here?" Harestep mewed once they'd gathered together. "Right. Today we're going to try hunting near the RiverClan border, because prey has been scarce everywhere else. Let's go." With a flick of the tail, he turned and led the cats up the slope.

Harestep led the way through the snowy forest; it wasn't snowing, yet, but dark clouds were covering the afternoon sky. Cedarpaw shivered and let out a sneeze.

In front of him, Olivepaw was walking alongside her mentor, Weaselfoot; her ears were flattened, and she didn't take the time to glance over her shoulder at Cedarpaw.

Briarclaw came up from behind him. "You know," he said quietly to his apprentice, his voice low, "during the two days you were unconscious, Olivepaw spent almost all of her time in the medicine den, watching over you and helping Willowfall care for you." He paused and looked at his apprentice. Cedarpaw frowned and looked at his paws. "You two have been friends since you were kits," he continued quietly. "Just remember that she really cares about you."

Cedarpaw knew that, already; he didn't need Briarclaw telling him. But that wasn't the issue.

The group headed towards the RiverClan border, and on the way there, there wasn't even one sign of prey. Olivepaw had told him a few days ago that it was getting worse, too. She'd overheard Harestep and Minnowstar talking about it, and she said they'd sounded worried.

The trees grew more and more spread apart as they approached the edge of the territory. Before him, Cedarpaw could spot the Thunderpath that separated the two territories about a dozen foxlengths away. He caught a glimpse of the lake, though the air was thick and gray and it was hard to see.

"Right," Harestep muttered. "Let's keep looking for signs of food around here." The cats began to linger away from each other; Cedarpaw pricked his ears, and, with a bit of hesitation, padded over to Olivepaw. She blinked and looked at him, her eyes shining, her lips forming into something that was almost, but not quite, a smile. She said nothing.

Cedarpaw let out a sigh as he pricked his ears and opened his mouth to scent for prey. It had seemed like forever since he'd gone hunting. He supposed that this meant he would also begin his training again, soon. Despite his setback, it wouldn't be long until he'd get his warrior name.

Ears pricked, he turned, hearing a rustle in the undergrowth. He glanced at the others; they were all busy looking themselves. Olivepaw didn't seem to notice him, either, as he crept forward, low to the ground, slipping back into the bushes where the noise got louder.

He blinked, looking around as he drifted further away from the group. Something, or someone, was nearby. He flexed his claws as he took a few more steps forward.

Two seconds later, bushes rustled from behind him, and all of a sudden, he felt a weight ram into him, shoving him roughly to the cold ground, sharp claws piercing his shoulders.

He let out a strained gasp, his face pushed into the snow. He tried to struggle free, but a paw on his back kept him pinned to the ground, another keeping his head pushed down.

"Well, look what we've got here," purred a voice; it was a she-cat, one that Cedarpaw knew wasn't from ShadowClan. He stiffened when he realized that it was the scent of RiverClan that had suddenly wafted around him.

"Looks like a kit ran away from home," another she-cat said. Cedarpaw tried to raise his head to see, but when claws sunk deeper into his skin, he let out a hiss and didn't move.

"I think this one's an apprentice, Whiskerfur," the first one said. "He's a small one, though. Must've gotten separated from a patrol."

"Whatever," Whiskerfur scoffed. "What're you planning to do with him, anyway, Sunnyheart? This _isn't_ what we came here to do. What if Blacktail gets angry?"

"Why don't we take him back to camp with us?" mewed Sunnyheart casually. "If we have a hostage, then ShadowClan will _have_ to give up some territory."

Cedarpaw gritted his teeth together; so RiverClan wasn't only invading WindClan, but now they were onto ShadowClan, too. He opened his mouth, but before anything came out, he suddenly heard a loud, yet oddly familiar, screech.

Then came the sound of hissing from more than one cat, and a moment later, the weight of the she-cat on him was pushed off. Disoriented, Cedarpaw quickly stumbled to his feet, head spinning as he looked around.

Sunnyheart had been knocked to the ground, and was now lifting herself back up, blue eyes narrowed to slits and ginger pelt now dotted with snow. Whiskerfur was behind her, staring in shock. Across from the two was Olivepaw, who glanced at the tom. He caught her gaze before looking uneasily at the two RiverClan warriors.

"Why are you here?" hissed Olivepaw, fur raised, ears flattened. "You're in ShadowClan territory!"

"Oh, pardon us, we didn't know," Sunnyheart mewed sarcastically, yet she was grinning. Whiskerfur didn't look so amused.

"Our patrol is nearby," growled Olivepaw, pale green eyes narrowed and flashing. "Then, you'll be outnumbered."

Cedarpaw stiffened when he heard another rustle in the bushes nearby. Ears pricked, he glanced over; the others followed his gaze.

Two cats suddenly appeared from the bushes, both toms. One of them was a lean cat with a pelt of orange and black. This was Thornfang. The other one was a large, muscular cat with sleek fur as dark as night. Cedarpaw recognized him immediately; it was Blacktail, the deputy of RiverClan. He stiffened.

"Where have you two been?" Blacktail hissed in a low voice to the two RiverClan she-cats. "I told you we were sticking together!" He blinked softly as he noticed the apprentices, and he lifted his head, looking at them with half-narrowed eyes before he glared back at Sunnyheart and Whiskerfur. "And you got caught, too. This is just great. I'm sure Blossomstar will be just _thrilled_ when she hears about this," he finished with a growl. Whiskerfur shot a glare at Sunnyheart, who flattened her ears.

"What's going on here?" demanded a low voice; heads turned as, on the opposite side, Briarclaw, Weaselfoot, and Harestep appeared through the undergrowth, tails raised. Blacktail lashed his tail, watching as the ShadowClan cats stared at them in shock.

"Blacktail, what is the meaning of this?" snarled Harestep, stepping forward. "Explain to me why you and your warriors are on _our_ side of the border?"

"Calm down, Harestep," the black cat replied smoothly, taking a stride forward to match the ShadowClan deputy. "I'm sure we can work this out without violence..."

"You're right," Harestep growled, claws flexed. "We will if you get out right now."

Blacktail sighed, glancing at his warriors before replying, "You see, Harestep, we can't do that. The fish are all gone from the streams. With our growing Clan, we need more territory, or we'll starve." His eyes flashed. "You understand, right...?"

"You're lying. Why are you taking land from WindClan, too, then?" challenged Harestep, his light brown fur ruffled in the wind.

"Greenstar was generous enough to comply and offer us some of his land," he explained, smiling softly. "However, what he gave us still isn't enough. If you give us just a bit of your territory, then we'll be able to survive through Leafbare. And if not..." His whiskers twitched. "...It'll be the blood of our cats on _your_ paws."

"We hardly have enough food for ShadowClan as it is," Harestep growled. Cedarpaw flinched slightly, glancing at his deputy and wondering why he'd reveal such a weakness.

Blacktail's whiskers twitched, and he glanced at his warriors before looking back at Harestep. "Very well," he said, tail flicking. "We'll leave for now. But I really do hope that you consider being generous enough to help our Clan." He nodded to the three cats and began to lead them away.

But before they were gone, Cedarpaw heard Olivepaw mutter under her breath, "...Pieces of foxdung."

Sunnyheart stopped in her tracks, her ginger fur prickling as she whipped her head around, blue eyes narrowed to slits.

"What did you just say?" she snarled at the apprentice, baring her teeth. Cedarpaw blinked in alarm and held his breath, praying that Olivepaw wouldn't say anything stupid.

"She didn't say anything," Weaselfoot grunted. "Now leave."

"No, she said something," Sunnyheart spat, taking a step towards the apprentice. Olivepaw held her ground, looking at her with narrowed eyes but not saying anything.

Whiskerfur let out a sigh; "Sunnyheart, let's just go..." Beside her, Thornfang lashed his tail impatiently.

"Not until that _kit_ tells me what she just said."

"Enough," Harestep growled. "I don't want blood to be shed today over something so trivial."

Olivepaw looked at her deputy, eyes narrowed before she grunted, "It already has been. Look at Cedarpaw."

The tom flinched a bit as eyes turned to him; blood had welled up from where Sunnyheart had struck him on his shoulders and red was now dripping down his light brown pelt.

Briarclaw's eyes widened as he stared at his apprentice; "Cedarpaw, what happened?"

"Sunnyheart and Whiskerfur ambushed him," Olivepaw muttered, looking away. "I found them and they were talking about bringing him back to their camp as a hostage."

It was dead silent for a moment; Thornfang and Blacktail were staring at Sunnyheart, whose lips were pulled back. Whiskerfur shifted uncomfortably as Weaselfoot narrowed his eyes and glared at the RiverClanners. Harestep took a step forward, ears flattened against his skull as he looked right at Blacktail.

"And what is the meaning of _this,_ Blacktail?"

"I gave them _no_ such order," the black tom growled back, shooting a glance at Sunnyheart, who said nothing.

"See?" Olivepaw growled, her voice louder as she glanced at her Clanmates before turning back to Sunnyheart. "They're pieces of _foxdung."_

A second later, Sunnyheart let out a loud, shrill yowl as she launched herself into the air, knocking the apprentice to the ground. Snarls pierced the afternoon air, and the next few moments happened so quickly to Cedarpaw. Weaselfoot was running forward, trying to defend his apprentice, and lunging at the RiverClan she-cat, shoving her away. Thornfang and Whiskerfur darted forward, and when Briarclaw and Harestep saw the danger their Clanmates were in, they joined in as well. The ShadowClan deputy snarled and lunged for Blacktail as they began to wrestle in the snow.

Cedarpaw just stood there, a bit dazed for a second as he watched cats hiss and fight. In the distance, cardinals were chirping with slurred voices. He thought he could scent a mouse. What was he doing? His Clanmates were in danger.

And yet, he just stood there, watching. Why wasn't he doing anything? He blinked softly in wonder, faintly aware of the scrapes on his shoulders that were now stinging. He supposed he'd be back in Willowfall's den. He hadn't slept in his own nest in the apprentices' den in days. He'd probably have to remake it when he returned. If he ever returned. His own mentor seemed to be too concerned about him to continue training, lately. At this rate, even Ratpaw and Olivepaw would be warriors before him.

A loud screech made him jump and draw him from his thoughts; he blinked as he looked through the blurry mass of cats for the source of the voice. His eyes widened when he saw that Sunnyheart had pinned Olivepaw to the ground; the apprentice now had splotches of blood on her pelt. The RiverClan warrior had her paw raised, ready to strike.

That was when Cedarpaw finally bolted forward, eyes narrowing, lips pulling back as a growl escaped his throat. He leaped for the warrior from behind, knocking her off of Olivepaw. The two of them landed awkwardly in the snow, but Cedarpaw quickly got to his paws and stood beside Olivepaw, ears flattened as he watched Sunnyheart get up.

"So," the she-cat rasped, eyes narrowed, yet a small smirk on her face. Her fur had a bit of blood on it as it welled from a few fresh wounds. "She saved you, and now you're saving her." She laughed quietly. "Let me guess- young love?" When she took another step forward, Cedarpaw- before he could really even think- leaped forward and raised a paw, striking it across Sunnyheart's face. It hit her cheek and muzzle, and the warrior screeched as blood dripped into the snow.

Furiously, she lashed out a paw, but the apprentice dodged to the side, striking at her feet to trip her up. She caught herself before she fell to the ground, but Cedarpaw quickly rammed into her side, knocking her into the snow.

A second later, he drew his claws along her side and bit down into her shoulder; hissing, Sunnyheart managed to lash out a paw, striking him across the forhead. Blood dripped into Cedarpaw's eyes, blinding him for a moment; he blinked it away and let out a low growl, suddenly putting a paw to her throat.

With his other paw, he lashed at her stomach, and somewhere in the corner of his mind he knew that this was a move that could sometimes be fatal. The she-cat cried out, blue eyes huge as she gasped in pain. Half a second later, Cedarpaw struck her again, harder this time; blood splattered not only on her, but on the apprentice, too, his claws digging blindly into her flesh. Sunnyheart wheezed and tried to kick her back legs out in a feeble attempt to escape, but he kept her held down.

As he dealt another blow across her face, he noticed that she had stopped fighting back. After another blow, he could hear her wheeze, "Stop..."

He didn't. He lashed out at her shoulder, dangerously close to her neck. She let out another yowl of pain, blue eyes shining with what almost seemed like fear.

She spoke again, her voice pained. "Please, stop... You win..."

Cedarpaw didn't even seem to hear her. His eyes averted to her throat; his heart beating against his chest, and not even able to _see_ straight, he raised his paw, prepared to strike, feeling as if he were in something like a dream.

Suddenly, a voice called out, "Stop!" And a second later, a force rammed into the apprentice, pushing him off of the RiverClan she-cat. Dazed, he got to his paws, looking up to see Briarclaw staring at him, a look of horror on his face.

"What're you doing?" he said in a low hiss, though he looked more scared than he was angry. "You almost _killed_ her!"

Cedarpaw blinked softly. Was he right? He flicked an ear and glanced around, seeing that the fighting had finished and that everyone was now staring at him. He locked gazes with Olivepaw, who looked back at him, a frown on her face, saying nothing.

Whiskerfur ran over to Sunnyheart, alarm in her eyes.

"Sunnyheart! Sunnyheart, are you okay?"

When Cedarpaw looked closer, he realized how badly she was bleeding all over her body. She had a look of shock on her face, but she was alive.

"Look what you _did,"_ snarled Blacktail, stepping forward, nothing more than a few light scrapes on his pelt. But he was looking at Harestep, not Cedarpaw. "Because of you, one of our warriors is half-dead!"

"We should take her back to camp, Blacktail," Thornfang said, tail flicking. "She needs to see Bluebird."

The RiverClan deputy narrowed his eyes as he glared at Harestep, but he nodded.

"Right. Thornfang, Whiskerfur, carry Sunnyheart on your backs. She can't walk in this condition."

The two warriors nodded, lifting the wounded cat up. Without another word, they began to carry her back towards their territory. Blacktail waited for a moment, turning to the ShadowClan warriors, eyes narrowed to slits.

"We won't forget this," he growled before turning and stalking away, leaving the five ShadowClan cats alone in the blood-stained snow.

It was deathly quiet for a moment. Cedarpaw held his breath and slowly turned to see that everyone was staring at him. No one spoke until Harestep took a step forward, amber eyes narrowed.

"You went too far," he growled at the apprentice, tail lashing. "A she-cat was almost _murdered_ because of you. We cannot have the blood of RiverClan cats on _our_ paws!"

Cedarpaw flattened his ears, glancing at the others. Briarclaw was looking at him with a look of pure concern. Weaselfoot was quietly watching Harestep. Olivepaw was looking away.

"Briarclaw, take him back to camp," the deputy growled. "He wasn't ready for this."

The apprentice flinched a bit and stared at the light brown tom, but he had already turned away and was gathering up Weaselfoot and Olivepaw. The she-cat looked at him soundlessly, green eyes shining before Briarclaw lay his tail on the apprentice's back and led him back to camp.

And soon enough, he was back in the medicine den, in his nest that seemed to be permanent. He had curled up wordlessly, his back away from Willowfall and Briarclaw as they talked. He listened to them, pretending to be asleep. They were whispering, so he could only hear bits and pieces of their conversation.

"...Wasn't ready," Briarclaw muttered. "Fought... Almost killed her..."

"...His father," Willowfall murmured softly. "...Stress... Depression... Showing it in the form of hostility... Needs help..."

_They're wrong,_ he thought to himself, clenching his eyes shut. His stomach growled with hunger, but he tried to ignore it. No, they were wrong. They were talking about him as if he were crazy.

...Was he?

Curling up into a tighter ball, he desperately tried to sleep, but every time he almost succeeded, an image of Olivepaw would go flashing through his mind. It took him hours before he was finally lulled into a dream.

**Well that's that. I should _really_ be doing homework. Oops.**

**Review and get a Briarclaw plushie I guess? :3**

**TNT,**

**Pearl**


	13. Chapter 12: A Gift

**HHHHHHHHHeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyy.**

**Recap: Cedarpaw goes on a hunting patrol with Olivepaw, Harestep, Briarclaw, and Weaselfoot. Olivepaw tries to get Cedarpaw to tell her what's wrong, but he doesn't. He strays away from the patrol and is ambushed by some RiverClan warriors, which results in a fight between them and the ShadowClan patrol. Cedarpaw ends up almost killing one of their warriors, and Harestep yells at him, telling Briarclaw to take him back to camp and that he wasn't ready for this. In the medicine cat, Cedarpaw pretends he's asleep and listens to Briarclaw and Willowfall talk about him like he's crazy.**

**I'm ssooo tired. I feel like I say that in most chapters O O O P S .**

Chapter 12

_A Gift_

[Frostpaw]

It had been snowing hard that day, the wind fierce as it shook the branches of every tree in the forest. The conditions were so bad that none of the apprentices had been taken out for training, and Minnowstar had sent out less patrols than usual.

Frostpaw was sitting in the hollow of the nursery, trying to suppress her shivers as she scooted away from the entrance. It was evening now, and it was dark outside. Quite a few cats had taken shelter here, and were talking amongst themselves. Lightstream, the young she-cat who had just become a warrior before moving to the nursery, lay down beside her mate- and Frostpaw's mentor- Darkstorm. Lightstream's belly was huge; Willowfall had told her that her kits would be born any day now. As happy as Frostpaw was for the queen, she also feared that more mouths to feed would be hard for the Clan. It was getting harder and harder to find food, and Frostpaw found that she was hungry almost constantly now.

Bluepelt was curled around two of her kits, Brokenkit and Icekit, who were sound asleep. Her other kit, Littlekit, was a few taillengths away, playing with a small ball of moss. It wouldn't be long before they'd be apprentices, and the apprentices' den would be more crowded than ever. But it wasn't much of a problem for Frostpaw, who would be getting her warrior name soon.

Nearby, Olivepaw and Ratpaw were sitting with their mother, Bramblestripe, as she groomed her other child- Oakkit. The tiny dark brown tom's green eyes were half-closed; he looked just like his mother and his sister.

Frostpaw's mother, Furzetail, was there as well, along with Icewhisker, who had begun to get more and more friendly with the she-cat. Frostpaw would always watch him carefully, feeling oddly protective of her mother. Owlwing, a young warrior, was there as well; she was good friends with Lightstream.

"...Have you thought of any names for the kits yet, Lightstream?" Bramblestripe was asking the younger she-cat with a kind smile. The group had been talking about unimportant things to pass the time.

"Well, a couple," the she-cat purred, sharing a warm look with her mate. "If there's a tom, we want to name him Darkkit, after Darkstorm."

"What if it looks like you and not him?" rasped Bluepelt, mostly trying to ignore the conversation but chiming in every now and then with snide comments.

Lightstream frowned, glancing down at her light ginger and white fur, apparently too shocked with the possibility that she couldn't even speak.

Furzetail smiled in amusement before she looked at her daughter. "Frostpaw, where's Snowpaw? She's usually with you."

The apprentice blinked. "I don't know," she said. "Maybe she's asleep in the apprentices' den."

As if on cue, a shape appeared at the entrance to the den; eyes turned to watch Snowpaw walk in. Frostpaw smiled at her sister, but Snowpaw didn't look at her. She sat down further from her family and closer to Olivepaw and Ratpaw, who were watching her curiously.

"Hi, Snowpaw," Furzetail purred. "We were just wondering where you were."

"I'm here," the she-cat replied, her voice somewhat empty. Frostpaw caught her glance, and she saw something in her sister's flashing green eyes that she'd never seen before. She was frowning, whiskers twitching before she turned away. Frostpaw blinked, confused with this behavior. Snowpaw _never_ acted like this. Something was wrong.

No one else seemed to notice.

Now they were talking about Cedarpaw. Bramblestripe had asked Olivepaw how he was doing, and the she-cat had flinched slightly, looking away.

"I don't know," she muttered, though by now, everyone had heard what had happened, including Frostpaw. Cedarpaw had been taken out on a hunting patrol, where they got into a fight with some RiverClan cats who had passed the border... and Cedarpaw had almost killed one of them. It'd been a few days since the incident, but Willowfall had made him stay in her den for a bit longer.

They hadn't heard from RiverClan since it had happened, but when Minnowstar had heard what had happened, her face had grown grim, her eyes narrowed. She told ShadowClan that they must always be prepared to fight. Frostpaw prayed that they wouldn't have to, because even though nobody wanted to admit it, the Clan was getting weaker from lack of food. And even though nobody wanted to admit it, everyone was scared. She could feel it. And she was, too. Besides, she didn't like fighting. She knew that it excited some of the other apprentices, but not her. And ever since she was taken to ThunderClan to look after Honeystar, she was beginning to wonder if becoming a warrior was the right decision. But her warrior ceremony was in just a week. She supposed it was too late to change her mind, now.

She decided to try talking with her sister. Scooting towards her, she mewed, "You okay, Snowpaw?"

She thought she could see the other she-cat flinch, just slightly, before she turned to look at her. For a moment, Frostpaw thought she could see coldness in her sister's eyes, and she looked at her, puzzled. Snowpaw blinked a few times, a frown on her face.

She gave a tiny, obviously fake smile before meowing, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired." Frostpaw flicked an ear; she could easily see through her sister's lie, but she knew that this wasn't the time or place to press her.

A little longer passed before Frostpaw announced that she was going go bed. Everyone said goodnight before she left the nursery.

It was hard even just getting to the apprentices' den. Snow fell down thickly and rapidly, the wind loud in her ears as the trees trembled in the wind. Shivering, she slipped into the bush that made the den. She was the only one inside.

Letting out a long sigh, she curled up as tightly as she could and eventually fell asleep.

. . .

She awakened with a start when she heard a loud wail pierce the air. Immediately leaping to her paws, her eyes wide, she looked around in confusion.

The other apprentices had stirred as well; Olivepaw was muttering to Ratpaw in confusion, Snowpaw's eyes wide in alarm.

"What's going on?" murmured Ratpaw, frowning, ears flattened. Frostpaw felt her heart nearly stop; was RiverClan attacking, just like Minnowstar had predicted?

Without another thought, she ran out of the apprentices' den; it was dark and freezing and still snowing as fiercely as it had been that evening.

But the clearing was empty.

Frostpaw let out a sigh of relief, relaxing slightly until she heard another wail, lower this time. Her ears pricked and she looked over at the nursery; her eyes widened in understanding. Lightstream was having her kits.

Without thinking, she ran through the thick snow and into the nursery.

Inside, Lightstream was lying on her side, eyes wide as she panted heavily. Darkstorm was beside her, tail lifted in concern. Bramblestripe was at her side; Oakkit was sleeping beside Bluepelt, who was watching from several taillengths away. Her own kits had been woken up and were now trying to see what was going on.

Frostpaw paused; where was Willowfall? Shouldn't she have been here by now?

"Where's Willowfall?" demanded Darkstorm. "We need Willowfall!"

"D-Darkstorm," Lightstream gasped, clenching her teeth together. "Th-The kits... They're coming... _Now..._ What do I do!" Her mate widened his eyes and stared at her, looking panicked.

Frostpaw stepped forward, feeling strangely calm and in control.

"Don't worry, Lightstream," she said softly, lowering herself to her height. "Calm down. Just take a deep breath... That's it... Let it out. Keep breathing, just like that... That's right. I'm going to go get Willowfall, but I'll be right back, I promise."

Everyone looked at her, confused expressions on all of their faces- except for Lightstream's, who just quickly nodded.

Frostpaw turned and darted out of the nursery. Some cats had emerged from their dens, wondering what was going on. Blinking, the she-cat stopped and called, "Everybody, Lightstream is having her kits. But she needs her space, so please don't go in. Wait outside." A few murmured in surprise, while others looked at Frostpaw and wondered what sort of authority she had to tell them what to do. But no one said anything.

Frostpaw ran into the medicine den, expecting to see Willowfall.

But she was gone.

"Oh, StarClan, no," she breathed to herself, looking around, eyes wide. Where was the medicine cat when the Clan _needed_ her? What on earth could she be doing in the middle of the night, away from camp?

But she couldn't linger on the question. She had to do _something._

She ran to the back of the den, nearly tripping on Cedarpaw, who lay asleep in his nest.

Her eyes searched through the piles of herbs. She spotted several small, dried pink leaves; borage leaves. They should be eaten after giving birth.

She grabbed a large, dead leaf that she could use to carry them. Taking a few borage leaves, she placed them on the other leaf. Her eyes drifted to a small pile of dried berries. Juniper berries. They would help calm Lightstream down. Taking a few of those, she wrapped everything up in a bundle, which she grasped with her teeth.

As she exited the den and swiftly made her way back to the nursery, she didn't even have time to think about how exactly she knew what those herbs and berries did. The only thing she was thinking about now was that Lightstream would safely deliver her kits.

She ran into the nursery, halting as cats looked up at her.

"Where's Willowfall?" demanded Darkstorm, staring at his apprentice tensely, voice near a growl. Frostpaw swallowed, putting down the herbs.

"She'll be here in just a minute," she lied, approaching Lightstream. "Don't worry. Just do as I tell you and everything will be okay. Do you understand, Lightstream?"

The young queen, nodded, though her body was quivering.

"I want you to eat one of these," the apprentice mewed, placing a juniper berry beside her. "It will help calm you down and will make everything easier. Are you okay with that, Lightstream?"

She nodded again, leaning over to take it, chew it and swallow it. A second later, she flinched, letting out a low grown.

"They're coming," she breathed, yellow eyes wide. "Like... Like right now..." The cats around them were watching, not daring to say a word.

"Okay," Frostpaw murmured. "Lightstream, you need to listen to me. On the count of three, I want you to push as hard as you can. Do you understand?"

She nodded, looking scared.

"Everything will be okay," the apprentice assured. "Now, on the count of three. One, two, three... Push."

Lightstream let out a loud yowl, eyes clenched together in pain, her whole body shuddering with the effort. She let out a breath of air, looking at Frostpaw desperately, shaking her head hurriedly.

"You're doing great," whispered Frostpaw. "Just once more, Lightstream. You're almost there. Are you ready? One, two, three..."

The queen yowled again, louder this time. But a few seconds later, the tiny body of a kit appeared. It was very pale ginger, eyes shut as it opened its little mouth to let out a mew. Lightstream opened her eyes, craning her head as she tried to see it. Darkstorm picked it up by the scruff and began to clean it.

"Darkstorm," she murmured, a tiny smile on his face. "Her name... Her name is Flowerkit."

A second later, the queen let out another groan, eyes wide in alarm.

"Frostpaw! I-"

"It's okay," she assured her. "You have another one coming. After this, you'll be done. You can do this, Lightstream. One, two, three..."

The queen cried out as she pushed, and it only took a matter of seconds before another tiny bundle of fur appeared. This one was pitch black, and when Frostpaw saw its face, she let out a weak gasp of shock.

The kit was missing an eye.

Lightstream lay on her side, panting heavily, though a look of relief was on her face. The first kit was now at her stomach, suckling.

Frostpaw looked down at the second kit, picking it up by the scruff and placing it beside Lightstream. It let out a tiny mew.

"I... I'm sorry, Lightstream," she murmured, looking away. "This kit was only born with one eye."

The queen didn't say anything. Instead, she pulled the tiny kit- a tom- closer as she started to clean it.

"Darkkit," she whispered, voice scratchy with emotion. A crooked smile broke from her lips as she nuzzled her son.

"Here," Frostpaw murmured, pushing forward some borage leaves. "Eat this. It'll supply you with more milk that will make your kits strong."

She nodded, chewing and swallowing it before she looked at the apprentice gratefully.

"Thank you, Frostpaw," she whispered. "You acted just like a medicine cat."

Frostpaw smiled softly, watching the two kits at her stomach. "Congratulations," she said.

"They're beautiful, Lightstream," purred Bramblestripe, smiling warmly. Darkstorm smiled and licked his mate's ear. Even Bluepelt had just the tiniest smile on her face as she watched from a distance. Her kits had approached Flowerkit and Darkkit and were now watching them curiously.

"What's going on here?" came a sudden, shocked voice. Frostpaw pricked her ears, and everyone lifted their heads, turning to see Willowfall standing at the entrance, eyes wide.

"Where have you_ been?"_ demanded Darkstorm accusingly, blue eyes narrowed. "You were gone when we needed you!"

"I-I'm sorry," the medicine cat stammered, flustered. "I... I was out looking for herbs..."

_Really? In the middle of the night?_ thought Frostpaw, but she didn't say anything.

Bluepelt snorted, whiskers twitching. "We're lucky we had Frostpaw here, at least. Looks like this apprentice did a better job than the actual _medicine cat."_

Willowfall looked too shocked to speak. Her eyes wandered down to where Lightstream's kits were suckling. The medicine cat shook her head softly in disbelief.

"You... You had your kits...?" She turned to Frostpaw, mouth hanging open. "And you delivered them...?"

"And it's a good thing, too," hissed Darkstorm. "At least _someone_ took responsibility. Frostpaw did everything flawlessly while you were off doing whatever you were doing."

"It's okay, Darkstorm," whispered Lightstream, looking at him tiredly. "The important thing is that our kits are safe."

"No, it's _not_ okay," growled the tom. "What if something had happened to them?" His narrowed eyes flashed as he looked at the medicine cat. "_Another_ kit could have died because of her."

Willowfall visibly flinched, whiskers twitching as she tried to keep her composure.

"Don't bring that up again," she muttered, staring at her paws. "What has passed is in the past." She sighed, shaking her head as she looked at the new mother. "I'm sorry I wasn't here for the birth of your kits, Lightstream. It was irresponsible of me and I'm glad that Frostpaw was able to take over."

The apprentice lowered her head, a bit embarrassed.

Willowfall took a step closer and lowered her head, examining the kits. When she saw that the tom was missing an eye, she pulled back slightly, looking at Lightstream in concern.

"Lightstream, this kit..."

"Is perfect," the queen whispered, bringing her kits closer. "Darkkit is perfect."

Willowfall watched her, her frown turning into a tiny smile as she nodded.

"I'll leave you alone for a while," she said softly. "If you need anything, I'll be in my den." She glanced at Frostpaw; "Will you come with me, please?"

The apprentice pricked her ears, confused. The medicine cat led her outside, where several who had woken up were sitting gathered around the entrance, despite the freezing cold. Minnowstar sat with her tail wrapped around her legs, lifting her head when she saw Willowfall.

"Well?" the leader mewed.

Willowfall smiled softly. "Two healthy kits. A tom, Darkkit, and a she-cat, Flowerkit."

Sighs of relief broke from many of their lips as they smiled and murmured excitedly to one another.

"Give Lightstream the rest of the night to rest," the medicine cat continued. "You can all visit her in the morning."

As cats began to sleepily return to their dens, Willowfall nodded to Frostpaw, flicking her tail and beckoning her into the medicine den. The younger she-cat hesitantly followed.

As they stepped inside, Willowfall walked to the back, where the herbs were stored. She stood there, her tail flicking, not speaking for a few moments. Frostpaw swallowed, wondering if she was in any sort of trouble.

Finally, the older cat turned around, blue eyes glowing dimly in the darkness.

"Is it true?" she asked, blinking, a frown on her face. "Did you really deliver those kits by yourself?"

Frostpaw stared at her, trying to tell whether or not the medicine cat was angry with her.

"Y...Yes," she murmured. "I went to go look for you, but... you were gone. I... I thought that I had to do something-"

"Did you give her any herbs?" Willowfall demanded, taking a step forward. Her voice was more curious than accusing.

"I gave her a juniper berry at the beginning to calm her down," Frostpaw said quietly. "After the kits were born, I gave her some borage leaves to help supply milk."

"And who exactly taught you what juniper berries and borage leaves were for?" Willowfall asked, sitting down.

Frostpaw frowned, looking at her paws. "I don't know," she admitted. "I guess I just knew them. I felt like everything I was doing was just so natural. I didn't even think about it..."

Willowfall closed her eyes and let out a long sigh, her light gray fur ruffling a bit in the breeze that managed to slip through the branches. There were a few moments of silence before the medicine cat finally opened her eyes, looking at the apprentice.

"Do you know what this means, Frostpaw?"

The younger cat blinked, shaking her head. "I-"

"It seems that you have an unusually strong connection with StarClan," Willowfall said quietly. "They've given you a gift. And that gift is the gift of medicine."

Frostpaw didn't know what to say. She opened her mouth, but she was so baffled that no words came out.

Willowfall sighed. "I think that it would be a shame to waste such a rare gift," she murmured. "And I _have_ been looking for an apprentice..."

Frostpaw looked at her, nonplussed.

"You want me to be your apprentice...?"

"I know that this is all sudden," Willowfall mewed. "And your warrior ceremony is in just a few days, so I'll understand completely if you say no. You've been working for six moons to become a warrior, and if that's what you want to do, then I don't want to pressure you."

The apprentice blinked softly, looking away.

"I... I've been thinking about it," she murmured. "Ever since I went to ThunderClan to look after Honeystar." She lifted her eyes and locked gazes with the other she-cat. "I... I think I would like to become your apprentice."

Willowfall smiled softly, nodding.

"I'm honored," she murmured, getting to her paws. "Tomorrow night, we'll go to the Moonpool. Sleep with the other apprentices tonight; we'll let everybody know in the morning."

"Okay," Frostpaw breathed, still trying to process everything that had just happened but not doubting her decision. She smiled awkwardly at Willowfall before turning, heading towards the den's entrance. On the way out, she spotted Cedarpaw, curled up in his nest. She'd almost forgotten about him. When she thought she saw his ear flick, she wondered, somewhat uneasily, if he was awake and had been listening to everything.

But as she walked back to the apprentices' den, she found that she was smiling. She thought about what Willowfall had said; StarClan had given her a _gift._

And as she curled up in her nest, she swore that she'd use it well.

**This chapter marks page 100 :) And by page 100, I mean page 99 and one line. Close enough~**

**Waaaiillll (That's "well" with a Southern accent), this chapter may not have been the MOST exciting chapter ever, but Frostpaw deciding to become Willow's apprentice is certainly important (: You'll see how that goes later on- and what's going on with Snowpaw, too.**

**Thank you to everyone who's been reviewing :) You all are the best ever heartheartheart times infinity.**

**Review and get a Lightstream plusheh? :D ...And a piece of carrot cake.**

**TNT,**

**Pearls :)**


	14. Chapter 13: Three

**I'm publishing chapter 13. On Friday the 13th. I'mgonnadieeee**

**Recap: Frostpaw has noticed that Snowpaw is distancing herself from her, and she wonders what's wrong. In the middle of the night, Frostpaw is awakened and she learns that Lightstream is having her kits. However, Willowfall is nowhere to be found, so she helps deliver the kits by herself. Flowerkit is born, and then Darkkit, who is missing an eye. Lightstream is grateful to Frostpaw, but the others are angry with Willowfall, calling her irresponsible. Willowfall talks to Frostpaw later, telling her that she (Frostpaw) has been given a gift by StarClan- the gift of medicine. She asks her to become her apprentice, and Frostpaw agrees.**

Chapter 13

_Three_

[Olivepaw]

"I'm hungry," came the soft complaint of Littlekit, his tiny ginger tabby body shivering, his blue eyes wide. He looked just like his father, Redwhisker.

"Me, too," muttered Brokenkit, who tiredly prodded at a ball of moss. The blue-gray tom, who looked just like his mother, Bluepelt, had been born with a twisted paw. However, it didn't hinder anything he did, and his parents assured him that he would grow up to be a regular warrior.

Icekit sighed and nodded, her light gray fur fluffed up.

"There won't be anything for us to hunt when we become apprentices," she muttered. "We might as well skip over learning how."

"Don't say that," Olivepaw sighed. She was in the nursery, visiting her mother and younger brother again. Lightstream and her week-old kits were all sleeping, though Darkstorm was awake, keeping watch. Bluepelt had left to spend time with her mate, so Bramblestripe had promised she'd watch over her kits. But they were almost old enough to be apprentices and didn't need much supervision.

It was late-afternoon, the snow harsh as usual. Olivepaw's stomach growled in hunger and pain; she hadn't eaten for a day or two, and she knew that conditions were only growing worse. But she tried not to think about it; instead, she thought about the fact that the Gathering was tomorrow night. Of course, she'd gone last moon, so she wasn't sure that she'd be going twice in a row. Still, she was hopeful.

Snowpaw had been talking about tomorrow, too, but for a different reason. Tomorrow, she was getting her warrior name, and her mother, Furzetail, had apparently told her that it was good luck to get her name on the night of the full moon. However, she wouldn't be able to go to the Gathering because she'd be sitting vigil. She didn't seem to mind that much.

Olivepaw had noticed that she hadn't been spending as much time with Frostpaw as she normally was- who, by the way, had recently announced that she would begin training under Willowfall. Everyone had been shocked with her decision, especially because she'd been so close to earning her warrior name. Maybe that's why the two were spending less time together.

But it wasn't only that. Whenever Snowpaw would look at her sister, Olivepaw would swear that she could see disdain in her eyes. Or, maybe that wasn't it. Maybe it was... distrust? But that didn't seem right, either. They used to spend every minute together. Olivepaw wanted to ask her if something had happened between them, but she didn't want to get in her business. Besides, she didn't really like Snowpaw in the first place and thought that she could be a bit of a brat. "A bit" is an exaggeration. An under-exaggeration.

She sighed, watching as Oakkit kept trying to get to his paws before falling over. Bramblestripe was purring in amusement while Darkstorm licked his sleeping mate's ear, a small smile on the new queen's face. Everyone seemed so... happy.

She frowned, her thoughts returning to Cedarpaw... who had really been the focus of her thoughts for the past few days. Ever since they'd gone on that patrol, Willowfall hadn't let him come back to the apprentices' den. It'd already been a week, and Briarclaw still hadn't even taken him hunting.

She flattened her ears. She _knew_ that something was wrong. Very wrong. And he hadn't said a word to her for weeks, other than when he'd muttered the word "dead" over and over to her the day his father had died.

But that was over a moon ago. Since then, he hadn't said a single word. Not to Willowfall, not to Briarclaw, not to his mother, and not to her. She only wished he'd tell her what was wrong.

She let out another sigh, supposing that she'd pay him a visit. A corner of her mind asked her what good that would even do, but she didn't care. She visited him every day, and even though he wouldn't talk to her, she still talked to him. Because she missed him.

Muttering a few words to her mother and flicking her tail in farewell, she slipped outside of the nursery.

She shivered as she stepped into the clearing. Snow had been falling steadily for a few days now, and she wondered if it would even stop in time for the Gathering. Not many cats were outside; Minnowstar was talking with Harestep, and a few were just returning from a hunting party. They were only carrying a mouse.

She blinked with concern and flicked her tail, wanting to see what would happen.

Minnowstar and Harestep walked over to the patrol when they saw it; Briarclaw, Furzetail, Icewhisker, and Snowpaw, and Ratpaw were all there.

"How did the hunting go?" Minnowstar asked them, though she clearly knew the answer as she eyed the one mouse dangling from Icewhisker's jaws. The tom put it down before he spoke.

"It's getting scarcer by the day," he muttered, glancing at Furzetail, who looked away in worry.

"Minnowstar, this is getting serious," breathed Briarclaw. "At this rate, we won't have enough food to feed the Clan."

Olivepaw flinched at this, and began to lick a paw, pretending to be grooming and not listening.

"And now that Lightstream has kits, we'll have even more mouths to feed," murmured Furzetail. Icewhisker let his tail fall on her back in comfort. Snowpaw's ears were flattened as she stared at the ground. Ratpaw sent her a somewhat concerned glance.

Briarclaw spoke again. "Minnowstar, this is getting to the point where you might want to consider expanding our territory."

Olivepaw pricked her ears and glanced over at the crowd; was he talking about invading one of the other Clans?

"I see," the leader muttered, whiskers twitching. "If that's the case, then we may need to talk with the other Clans at the Gathering tomorrow."

"Minnowstar, don't you think they'll refuse to give us any land?" argued Harestep. "They're facing hard times, too. RiverClan has already invaded WindClan, and tried to take some of _our_ territory, too."

"Maybe RiverClan won't," Minnowstar muttered. "But ThunderClan might. Bumblestar just became a leader; he barely knows how to defend his borders."

"Are you suggesting we take advantage of that and invade?" Furzetail demanded, frowning. "That doesn't seem right."

"It could be the only option we have," growled Minnowstar. "My Clan comes first. And if we need to invade in order to get enough food to survive, then that's what we're going to do."

Ratpaw spoke up for the first time. "But what if they're facing famine, too?" he argued. "If we take land away from them, then their cats could _die_ because of us." His amber eyes were shining intensely, his dark gray fur a bit raised. Olivepaw peered at him as she drew a paw over her ear, wondering why her brother seemed so upset. If it was for the good of ShadowClan, then it would be worth it... Right?

"We will try to negotiate with the other Clans at the Gathering," Minnowstar growled, lashing her tail. "I don't _want_ to have to attack ThunderClan, but if it's our only option, then there's nothing else we can do." Her whiskers twitched and she glanced over at Olivepaw; the apprentice looked away and pretended not to have noticed.

"I'll send another hunting party out later today," the leader muttered. "In the meantime, find some other way to make yourselves useful."

With a flick of the tail, the cats began to disband. Olivepaw locked gazes with her brother, who gave a small, half-hearted smile before he turned and headed for the nursery. The she-cat watched him go and, with a sigh, padded over to the medicine den, slipping through the entrance.

Inside, Willowfall was in the back, showing Frostpaw some herbs as Cedarpaw, lying in his nest, lifted his head upon her arrival.

Willowfall lifted her head, blue eyes shining, a small frown on her face.

"Hello, Olivepaw," she mewed. The apprentice looked at her and stiffly bowed her head.

"H...Hi."

Ever since Olivepaw had witnessed the murder of Emberheart, she couldn't look at the medicine cat the same way again. But it wasn't only that. It seemed as if Willowfall... _knew _that the apprentice had seen what had happened. Because she would always stiffen up when Olivepaw entered the den, and would look at her in a way that made the younger cat uneasy. If Willowfall _did_ know, then she hadn't said anything.

Olivepaw had contemplated telling someone. But what good would that do? Who would believe her? Besides, if Willowfall found out... Olivepaw lowered her head. She could be killed.

And so when Willowfall had come back from the Moonpool half a moon ago, and when she'd told Minnowstar that she'd seen Emberheart and that it hadn't been a murder, Olivepaw had kept her mouth shut.

A couple of times, she'd thought about telling Cedarpaw. But that wouldn't do any good, either. He wouldn't have even spoken. When they were younger, she'd tell him everything.

"Hi, Olivepaw," Frostpaw mewed with a kind smile, breaking the other she-cat from her thoughts. She'd noticed that Frostpaw was much more tolerable without Snowpaw by her side. Especially since she'd become a medicine cat apprentice. Now, she was almost... _pleasant_ to be around.

"Hey," Olivepaw murmured. The two medicine cats didn't say anything after that; they already knew why she was there.

The dark brown tabby she-cat made her way over to where Cedarpaw was sitting up, his tail curling around his paws. He blinked softly, that same frown on his face as usual.

"Hey, Cedarpaw," she murmured, her voice low. The two she-cats turned their backs and went back to their herbs.

The tom flicked his ear and glanced at his paws; not uncomfortably, but as if what she'd said to him made him feel somehow... ashamed. She blinked softly.

"I hope you can come back to the apprentices' den soon," she muttered. "Now that Frostpaw's training to become a medicine cat, it's just me, Ratpaw, and Snowpaw... And Snowpaw's becoming a warrior tomorrow."

Cedarpaw glanced up at her, blinking softly as he looked at her and listened. She looked back at him, his gaze making her feel uncomfortable after a few seconds. She looked away.

"Remember when we were kits and we were always together?" she asked quietly. "We'd tell each other all our secrets. Sometimes we'd sneak out of camp together, but we were never caught." She glanced up at him; now he was looking away, a frown on his face.

Olivepaw continued. "...I'd always come to you if something was wrong," she muttered. "And you'd always come to me."

Their eyes met again; his amber ones were glowing intensely- sadly, almost.

"Cedarpaw, please- just talk to me," the she-cat pleaded, tail twitching. "You haven't said a word for over a moon, now. After everything we've been through together, don't you trust me enough to just tell me what's wrong...?"

The tom flinched, slightly, and lowered his head. He glanced over at Frostpaw and Willowfall, who were oblivious.

Olivepaw followed his gaze, not speaking for a few moments.

"...You know what they're saying, right?" she asked rigidly, looking back at him. "They say you're depressed because of your father, and-"

He suddenly looked up at her, his eyes dark, a strange expression on her face that made Olivepaw shut her mouth. She hadn't quite seen a face like that on the tom before.

"Sorry," she muttered before shaking her head. "Cedarpaw, please, just... Tell me what's going on."

There was a long silence. The tom glanced over at the medicine cats again, who were talking amongst themselves. He looked back at her before closing his eyes, letting out a long sigh. Then he looked at Olivepaw right in the eyes, opening his mouth as if he was actually going to speak.

All of a sudden, a loud screech was heard, making the two apprentices jump. Before Olivepaw even had time to think, another screech was heard, followed by another, and another. Eyes widening in alarm, she glanced over at the medicine cats, whose tails were lifted in worry. Something was happening outside.

Sending a quick glance at Cedarpaw, the she-cat raced outside, her fur fluffed up.

When she was in the clearing, she skidded to a halt, her eyes widening at what she saw. Through the falling snow, she could see a large group of cats at the top of the hollow opposite from where she stood. She blinked, trying to figure out who it was. But when she saw that the sleek white she-cat at the front of the group had one blue eye and one amber, she let out a gasp.

RiverClan.

By now, most of ShadowClan's cats had come outside to see what was going on, and a tense feeling filled the air. She spotted Ratpaw as he came out of the nursery, and she ran over to meet him.

"What's going on?" she hissed in a low voice. Her brother stared at her, confusion in his eyes.

"I don't know," he murmured. "But we're about to find out."

A second later, a voice called out, "What is the meaning of this?"

Heads turned to see Minnowstar making her way through the crowd, her light blue eyes narrowed to slits as she looked up at Blossomstar. Her silver tabby pelt was spotted with snow.

"Hello, Minnowstar," purred Blossomstar, who grinned at the ShadowClanners. Her mismatching eyes made Olivepaw shiver. Beside her, a large black tom stood; the apprentice recognized him as Blacktail, who she had just seen several days earlier.

"Why are you on ShadowClan territory?" Minnowstar demanded in a low growl.

"Blacktail told me what happened last week," the leader mewed softly, calmly. "One of my warriors has been in the medicine den half-dead because of one of _your_ apprentices."

Olivepaw flinched, thinking about Cedarpaw. She glanced around, but she didn't see him in the crowd. He must have stayed inside.

"Your cats were on _our_ territory," Minnowstar growled. "You cannot blame this on us. Your cats attacked first and threatened to bring one of my apprentices back to your camp."

Blossomstar let out a high-pitched giggle that made Olivepaw's fur stand on end.

"Now, that's not true," the RiverClan leader purred. "We had only come to your territory asking- or, dare I say, begging- you for some territory. Our Clan is growing bigger and bigger, and we have more mouths to feed. You all remember Sagewhisker, don't you...?"

Eyes darted to where, from the crowd of RiverClan warriors, a light gray she-cat stepped forward, eyes narrowed to slits. Surrounding her were three cats- a gray tabby tom, a calico she-cat, and an orange and black tom; they had all been ThunderClan warriors.

"Sagewhisker?" Harestep meowed in disbelief as he stood beside Minnowstar. "What's going on?"

"It seems there's a bit of trouble in ThunderClan," Blossomstar mewed, blinking her odd eyes as a smiled played at her lips. She was clearly enjoying herself. "Nobody seems to have much of a liking for that kittypet, Bumblestar. Sagewhisker, along with Flaxclaw, Lilytooth, and Waspfang have left and have joined RiverClan."

Murmurs of shock went around the clearing. Olivepaw narrowed her eyes slightly. _They only joined RiverClan because it's gaining more power,_ she thought bitterly.

"Your point being?" growled Minnowstar, tail lashing in irritation.

Blossomstar grinned at her, tilting her head.

"Well, Minnowstar, I'll cut to the chase. We need more territory. We're asking _you_ for territory. And if you refuse, we'll just have to take it by force." She tilted her head the other way, teeth gleaming as she smiled. "And wouldn't it be a pity to have to resort to violence...? Especially because our Clan is now larger than yours."

"Our Clan is growing, too," hissed Minnowstar. "We need territory as badly as you. Food has already run out here; it wouldn't do you any good, anyway."

Blossomstar let out a sigh.

"So is that a no?"

Minnowstar glared at her, not responding.

The RiverClan leader sighed again, shrugging softly.

"Very well," she murmured, eyes suddenly gleaming intensely. "We gave you a chance." There was a moment of silence before the she-cat lifted her head and yowled, "RiverClan, attack!"

Within seconds, the RiverClanners had let out battle cries as they charged down the shallow slope, the snow in their eyes that gleamed in the fading light.

Fighting was suddenly all around Olivepaw, and it was hard for her to see straight or even distinguish the RiverClan warriors from her own.

But a second later, a cat bowled into her, shoving her into the snow with a thud.

Hissing, she looked up to see a light tan she-cat, green eyes flashing, a smirk on her face. She was small and looked very young; younger than her.

"Who are you?" Olivepaw growled, staring up at the she-cat. "You're hardly more than a kit!"

The she-cat snarled loudly at this, suddenly slashing her claws against Olivepaw's face. The ShadowClanner hissed as she felt fresh blood upon her cheek as it splattered onto the snow.

"My name is Tanpaw," the cat growled, sharp teeth glinting. "And I may be young, but I assure you that I could kill you without batting an eye."

Olivepaw stared back at her, irritation surging through her. This cat was so arrogant that the ShadowClanner found that she had to hold back laughter.

"Why are you smiling?" Tanpaw demanded loudly, lifting a paw and suddenly bringing her claws down Olivepaw's chest. The older she-cat let out a yowl of pain; fury surging through her, she kicked out her back legs, sending the RiverClanner off.

Olivepaw leaped to her paws, panting as blood dripped down her dark brown fur. Tanpaw stood up and faced her opponent, eyes narrowed to slits, fur fluffed out.

"Blossomstar says that ShadowClan cats are filth," Tanpaw snarled, claws flexed as she shook the snow from her fur. "She says that they aren't worthy of their land. That if it were up to her, they wouldn't even be living."

"What are you saying?" rasped Olivepaw, a bit shocked that the RiverClan leader would say something like that. "There have always been four Clans. And if that ever changes, then the wrath of StarClan will be felt."

A wide grin slowly fell upon the other cat's mouth before she starting laughing softly. Olivepaw pulled her lips back, wanting to smack the younger apprentice across the face; but she held back and waited for her to speak.

"Four Clans?" laughed the tan she-cat, shaking her head softly. "Do you not realize what is happening?"

"What are you talking about?" Olivepaw demanded, trying not to show her unease.

Tanpaw stared at her as if she were crazy and started to laugh again.

"There won't be four Clans for much longer," she purred. "Soon, RiverClan will own the entire lake. That's what Blossomstar tells us." Tanpaw saw that the ShadowClanner was too shocked to speak, so she continued. "WindClan has already lost half of its territory," she explained as if Olivepaw were a kit. "Soon, they'll lose it all. And ThunderClan is weak right now; with that kittypet as a leader, they'll fall in the blink of an eye, especially now that we have their former deputy on our side. As for you?" She chuckled lightly, pausing to flick a paw. "Well... You're being taken care of right now."

Olivepaw stared at her in disbelief.

"You're crazy," she muttered. "Blossomstar will _never_ be able to take over the other Clans. StarClan won't allow it."

"We'll see about that," Tanpaw mewed, and a second later, she let out a snarl as she lunged forward.

Caught off guard, Olivepaw winced, preparing for the hit; but suddenly, someone pushed her aside. Stumbling, she managed to save herself from falling on the ground.

Glancing over to see what had happened, her eyes widened when she saw Cedarpaw and Tanpaw tussling in the snow; the she-cat had tried to pin him down, but even though they were the same size, the tom was stronger than her. Cedarpaw rolled over and batted at her paws, tripping her. She fell to the ground, her belly exposed as Cedarpaw pinned her down, a paw at her throat.

Olivepaw stood frozen for a moment, a flash of fear going through her mind as she pictured what could happen. Last time, Cedarpaw had almost killed Sunnyheart. What if he was about to try and do the same thing to this apprentice? She blinked softly when she realized that both times, he had been protecting her.

"Who are you?" hissed Tanpaw, furious. "Get off me!" She lashed out a paw, but he ducked his head to avoid it. He then drew his claws across her chest; blood stained her pale fur as she let out a screech. He dealt another blow, this time along her side. She hissed, eyes clenched together in pain.

"Let her go, Cedarpaw," breathed Olivepaw, running forward. "She's hardly more than a kit. She doesn't know how to properly fight, yet."

Fury shot through Tanpaw's eyes, but she didn't argue. Cedarpaw looked at Olivepaw silently, amber eyes shining as he stepped back, freeing the younger apprentice.

Tanpaw got to her paws, shaken, blood dripping from clumps of fur and into the snow. She narrowed her eyes to slits and glanced back and forth between the ShadowClanners, realizing that she was outnumbered.

"RiverClan will win," she rasped, her voice near a growl. "You'll see." With that, she turned and ran off, vanishing into the crowd of fighting cats.

Olivepaw let out a sigh of relief and glanced over at the tom. He watched Tanpaw go before he slowly turned to her.

"...Thank you," Olivepaw muttered, staring at her paws. "...For trying to protect me, that is." She glanced up at him; the tom's eyes were glowing, a frown on his face, but he said nothing, as usual. "Are you sure you should be out of Willowfall's den?" she asked quietly. He stared at her. "I mean... Just be careful," she added quietly. He looked at her for a few more moments before nodding.

Suddenly, a loud screech was heard that made Olivepaw's fur stand on end. She lifted her head; it seemed as if the fighting had begun to stop, and now cats were gathering together to see what had happened. Sharing a glance, the two apprentices ran forward.

Pushing through the crowd, Olivepaw struggled to see what had happened. She finally got to the front of the group, halting and letting out a weak gasp at what she saw.

Blossomstar was standing still, white fur coated with blood and snow, mismatching eyes gleaming in the fading daylight. At her paws lay a lump of light brown fur, covered in blood. Two huge amber eyes were open.

"Owlwing," Olivepaw breathed, her heart nearly stopping.

Owlwing was dead.

It was dead silent for a moment before Minnowstar suddenly stepped forward, letting out a fiercely loud snarl.

"You killed her," she hissed at the ShadowClanner, eyes blazing. "How _dare_ you? She was only fifteen moons old!"

"Perhaps you'll now consider giving up?" Blossomstar asked softly, unfazed. "Or must we continue this battle?"

"Murderer," Minnowstar hissed, looking as if she would attack any moment. "You're a pathetic _coward."_

"We gave you a chance," Blossomstar stated simply. "Do you still refuse to give us land?"

"Yes," Minnowstar growled loudly.

The RiverClan leader sighed, shaking her head as if in pity. "Very well," she murmured, her blue and amber eyes suddenly locking on Olivepaw.

A second later, Blossomstar darted forward, leaping at Olivepaw and shoving her to the ground before the apprentice even knew what was happening. She was quickly pinned down, her head crushing into the snow as she felt sharp claws lightly touching the skin of her neck.

"Nobody come near," Blossomstar called out, eyes gleaming, "or this apprentice will die."

Olivepaw sucked in a breath, heart drumming against her chest. From where she lay, she could see Cedarpaw staring at them in horror; even he didn't dare move.

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Minnowstar. "Let her go!"

"Here's the deal, Minnowstar," Blossomstar said quickly, sounding crazy. "Agree to give up some territory, right here, right now. If you don't, this apprentice will die, and _you_ will be the one to blame for being so selfish that you'd let this young she-cat's life go to waste. Is that really what you want cats to think of you?"

Everyone was silent. Olivepaw held her breath, feeling the leader's claws slowly begin to press more firmly against her throat. For a moment, she truly thought that Minnowstar would say no, and that she was going to die.

"...Fine," the ShadowClan leader hissed after what seemed like ages. "You win. Take some territory. It won't help you, anyway. Now get off of her."

ShadowClan cats stared at their leader in disbelief, but they knew that she didn't have a choice.

Blossomstar grinned widely before she stepped back, letting Olivepaw go.

"Glad we could come to an agreement, Minnowstar," she purred. "We'll mark our new borders on the way out. See you tomorrow night at the Gathering."

Lifting her head, she looked at her Clan; "RiverClan, let's go!"

The RiverClanners grouped together; most of them were bleeding, but none of them had received fatal wounds. Blossomstar began to lead them up the slope, all of them chatting excitedly until their voices had faded away and they were gone, leaving the ShadowClan cats alone in the blood-stained hollow.

Olivepaw shakily got to her paws, a bit breathless. Cedarpaw approached her, looking concerned. He then pressed his pelt against hers; she blinked in surprise but didn't pull away.

Cats were beginning to gather around Owlwing as Minnowstar said a few words. Olivepaw wasn't even listening. She only stared soundlessly at the body, pressed against Cedarpaw, who was silent.

Three.

Three cats had died in the span of only one moon.

Reedfur, Emberheart, and now Owlwing...

Three.

...Three.

As the sun finally began to set behind the black clouds, Olivepaw shut her eyes and shivered. All she could do was think about what Tanpaw had told her, and imagine the sort of things that were in store for them as Leafbare grew even harsher.

**Wrote this while listening to music from The Hunger Games movie. #Winnerupinhere**

**Tell me what you all think :) Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing so far, you all mean so much to me! Reviewers get Blossomstar plushies ;)**

**Till next time,**

**Pearly**


	15. Chapter 14: Behind the Dark Clouds

**Wait a minute, wait a minute... What's this? Pearly, _updating one day after her last update?_**

**In all my four years of being on Fanfiction, I don't think this has ever happened. Which on one hand is pretty sad, but on the other hand... Go me :D /shot**

**Well, here's a surprise for everyone (including me) so, enjoy :)**

**Recap: Olivepaw goes to visit Cedarpaw in the medicine den, and tries to get him to tell her what's wrong. But before he can, screeches are heard from outside- RiverClan is attacking. Blossomstar asks Minnowstar for land because their Clan is growing- Sagewhisker and the three other warriors from ThunderClan have joined RiverClan. They fight, and Olivepaw fights a young RiverClan apprentice named Tanpaw, who tells her of Blossomstar's plans of taking over the other Clans so there will only be one. Cedarpaw comes and protects Olivepaw, and he keeps attacking Tanpaw until Olivepaw tells him to let her go. Soon, Owlwing is killed by Blossomstar, who then attacks Olivepaw and tells Minnowstar that if she doesn't surrender, she'll kill Olivepaw. Minnowstar surrenders. While cats gather around Owlwing's dead body, Olivepaw thinks about how many have already died and what's in store for them.**

**LONG RECAP SORRY. Y'all probably didn't even need that because I updated so fast :D *giddy***

Chapter 14

_Behind the Dark Clouds_

[Ratpaw]

A shiver went down Ratpaw's spine as he lowered his head, teeth nearly chattering from the cold. It was night, the snow having showed no signs of stopping during the day. He sat on the path that separated ShadowClan from ThunderClan, frowning as he thought about the battle that had happened just a few hours ago. Not only was territory lost, but Owlwing's life, as well. And it had been done in cold blood.

Ratpaw's ear flicked as he gazed around. Everything was coated in snow, and the clouds were so thick that he couldn't see far beyond the border because of the darkness. But he knew that somewhere hidden in the sky was the almost-full moon.

A sweet, familiar scent wafted over him, and he lifted his head. A small shape appeared from the darkness, green eyes glowing brightly, a grin appearing on her face.

"Sorry I'm late," she purred as she trotted over to him, pausing to shake the snow from her fur.

Ratpaw smiled softly. "No, it's fine."

Russetpaw looked at the tom and blinked a few times, apparently sensing that something was wrong.

"Are you alright?" she asked quietly, prodding him gently on the shoulder.

Ratpaw looked at her, their eyes locking. He let out a quick sigh; "Our camp was attacked earlier today."

Russetpaw's eyes grew huge, and she stared at him in disbelief.

"Attacked?" she whispered. "By who?"

"Who do you think?" Ratpaw murmured, shaking his head. Russetpaw looked at him.

"RiverClan," she muttered. "What happened? Are you alright? Are you hurt?" She looked over him from head to tail tip.

"I'm fine," he assured her. "I only got a few scratches." He paused, not sure how to put this. "...But Owlwing was killed."

"That's horrible," Russetpaw squeaked, eyes wide. "Who...?"

"Blossomstar did it," he said bitterly. "And then she threatened my sister. She told Minnowstar that if she didn't surrender, she'd kill Olivepaw."

"Oh, StarClan," Russetpaw sighed. She sat down beside him, their pelts brushing. She let her tail fall on top of his. Ratpaw didn't pull away.

"She's fine," the tom said quietly. "Icewhisker was hurt pretty badly and is spending a night or two in Willowfall's den, but other than that, everyone's fine. But the death of Owlwing and losing to RiverClan has hit everyone pretty badly, especially Minnowstar."

"I can imagine," Russetpaw muttered. "It seems like Blossomstar is trying to take more and more territory."

Ratpaw stiffened, suddenly remembering the conversation he and the rest of the patrol had had with Minnowstar shortly before the battle. She'd told them that if Bumblestar didn't agree to give them land at the Gathering, then they would attack. He sent a quick, uncomfortable glance at Russetpaw. What if they were to invade? Should he tell her? He didn't want to have to face her in battle. She could _die_ because of his Clan. But that would be betraying his Clan, wouldn't it? Not that he wasn't, already.

Russetpaw noticed his unease, and looked at him with concern.

"Are you alright, Ratpaw?"

Ratpaw looked away, ears flattening slightly. "Just... be careful," he muttered. "I don't want you to get hurt because of all this."

She blinked, as if initially confused; but she nodded. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. And you will be, too."

Ratpaw turned away, for some reason feeling a surge of guilt.

"I will be," he rasped, his voice barely audible.

It was silent for a few moments. They said nothing, yet they sat pressed against each other, snow falling on them as the cold wind blew.

"Things haven't been so great in ThunderClan, either," Russetpaw admitted in a low voice. "No one is happy with Bumblestar. Some cats even openly disobey him. Our new deputy, Spotfur, has been trying to keep everything in order, but it's hard, especially with food running out."

"Food is running out in ThunderClan, too?" murmured Ratpaw, though he honestly wasn't surprised. Russetpaw nodded, looking at her paws.

"Spotfur is afraid more cats will leave. Especially after Sagewhisker, Lilytooth, Flaxclaw, and Waspfang left."

"They joined RiverClan," Ratpaw mewed, looking at her. "I saw them today. They fought against us."

The ginger she-cat stared at him in shock.

"What?" she breathed. "How could they betray us like that...?"

"You can't blame Sagewhisker for being upset," Ratpaw sighed. "She would've been leader if Honeystar hadn't changed her mind at the last second."

"She would have been a better one, too," Russetpaw muttered under her breath. Ratpaw said nothing.

The two sat in silence for a bit, as they usually did at some point every night they met. It was pleasant. They would just sit together, pelts touching, looking out into the distance or up at the sky. Sometimes they'd ask each other what the other was thinking.

This time, the she-cat twined her tail with Ratpaw's. The tom looked at her, a little surprised, and when their eyes met, Russetpaw flattened her ears and looked away in embarrassment, a small smile on her face.

A few seconds later, Ratpaw stiffened, and he raised his head, glancing behind him.

"What is it?" Russetpaw mewed worriedly.

"Is... Is someone watching us?" he whispered, lowering his head as he scanned the darkness. It was impossible to see.

"I don't smell anyone," the she-cat replied, frowning. "And I don't hear anything. I think we're fine."

Ratpaw flicked an ear and nodded, trying to let her words assure him.

After a little while longer, she murmured, "I should get going."

The tom frowned, for some reason feeling a stronger desire than usual for her to stay with him. He didn't want to be alone, and he wondered why.

But he nodded and got to his paws, murmuring, "Alright. Maybe I'll see you at the Gathering tomorrow night."

"Yeah," she said with a smile before she leaned over and pressed her muzzle to his. A purr erupted from Ratpaw's chest and he licked her ear.

"See you later," she whispered, grinning, turning to leave. Ratpaw smiled gently and waved his tail, watching as she trotted off into the darkness.

He was alone.

Letting out a sigh, he stayed there for a few moments before he eventually got to his feet. He looked out into ShadowClan territory; everything was silent, but he felt uneasy as he began to walk back into the pine forest.

Thoughts flooded his mind. The battle with RiverClan. Owlwing's death. The Gathering tomorrow. Russetpaw...

Guilt flooded through him when he thought about the possibility of Minnowstar leading an attack on ThunderClan, and he didn't even warn her. He knew that he had to be loyal to his Clan, but what if something happened to her?

He flattened his ears, his pace slow as he headed back towards camp. He felt completely torn.

Suddenly, he froze, ears picked as he warily glanced around. He could have sworn he heard a twig snap. Heart drumming, he lowered himself to the ground, amber eyes scanning the woods. There was silence, but when he scented the air, he could detect traces of another cat. Maybe someone had been watching him and Russetpaw after all. His fur prickled with anxiety as he swallowed, calling out, "Who's there?"

A second later, bushes rustled behind him. Whirling around, he dug his claws into the snow as a light gray, almost white cat emerged from the undergrowth.

Ratpaw's eyes widened, but he swallowed again, trying to remain calm. "Willowfall," he murmured as the medicine cat stepped forward, blue eyes gleaming. Maybe she didn't know. Maybe she was only out collecting herbs.

"Hello, Ratpaw," she said quietly. She frowned and looked away, as if contemplating what to say. She looked troubled, but finally she looked back at the apprentice. "How long have you been meeting her?" she asked.

The apprentice froze and looked at her, choking out the words, "What do you..."

"You don't have to lie, Ratpaw," she murmured, almost sadly. "I saw you with that ThunderClan apprentice."

Ratpaw stared at her, at a loss for words. He didn't know what to do, or what would happen to him. Surely the medicine cat would tell Minnowstar, and what then? All his worries that he'd had the first night he met with her came flooding back. He shook his head softly, tail lowered.

Willowfall lifted her head, frowning. "I only want to tell you that forbidden love isn't worth it," she muttered. "You may love her now, but relationships like these never last. I'm telling you for your own good... Stop seeing her or you'll be heart-broken." Her words were soft, not commanding. She had a strange, wistful expression, and for a moment she seemed like she was in her own little world. But she turned back to the apprentice, waiting for his response.

Ratpaw narrowed his eyes slightly and muttered, "You're a medicine cat. What do you know about love?"

Willowfall's eyes darkened as she looked at him. "A lot more than you," she muttered. She sighed, looking up at the sky. "I loved him," she whispered, partly to herself. "Part of me still does. But things happened that never should have happened, and everyday, another part of me wishes that I could erase everything."

He stared at her. "What are you talking about?" he said slowly. "You had a forbidden mate?"

"Yes," Willowfall muttered, lowering her head. "And Graystar died because of it."

The moment she said that, she flinched slightly, apparently regretting it. She glanced up at the apprentice, who was staring back at her wordlessly.

"What?" he breathed, shaking his head softly. He hadn't been born yet when Graystar was alive, but he'd heard about her. She was Minnowstar's mother, and had mysteriously disappeared. After searching for her for a week, she was finally found washed up on the beach not too far into RiverClan's territory. No one had ever figured out exactly what happened, but now possibilities swirled through Ratpaw's head. Could it be that Graystar had discovered Willowfall's secret, and...?

"Did you kill Graystar?" he blurted out without thinking, his heart pounding and mind racing. He watched her, eyes narrowed slightly.

The medicine cat stared at him, for a moment nonplussed, eyes wide and glowing. She opened her mouth, trying to respond, but no words came out.

"You did, didn't you?" growled Ratpaw, his voice louder this time as he took a step back. "After all this time, it was you? Just because she found out you had a mate?"

"It wasn't so simple!" Willowfall shot back, suddenly yelling, lips pulled back. Ratpaw blinked and looked at her. The medicine cat narrowed her eyes, looking away. "I had no choice," she muttered, tail lashing. She looked back at the apprentice, eyes narrowed to slits. "So don't speak as if you have _any_ idea what I went through."

Ratpaw couldn't speak. He'd never seen his medicine cat acting like this. It made him a bit wary, and he wondered what to do.

Both cats were silent for a moment before Willowfall closed her eyes, shaking her head softly.

"I won't speak to anyone of you and the ThunderClan she-cat," she murmured quietly. "In return, I expect that you won't tell anyone anything I just told you." The way she looked at him made Ratpaw resist arguing. He just stood there, speechless as Willowfall shook her pelt, straightening up. "You should go back to camp," she said in a low voice. "I'll be back soon." She paused, frowning, and apparently thinking something over. "Be careful," she muttered at last.

Without any more explanation, the she-cat turned and made her way through the snow, disappearing into the darkness.

Ratpaw stood alone, watching the spot where she'd vanished. He didn't even know what to do. He just stood there, thinking about everything the she-cat had told him. He couldn't even process it all. How could he go on living like normal knowing that ShadowClan's medicine cat had killed their former leader?

But he couldn't say anything. He knew that. Not only would Willowfall tell Minnowstar about Russetpaw, but who would even believe him? He was the only one that knew.

After what seemed like hours, the tom finally lowered his head, slowly and soundlessly making his way back towards camp. The snow kept falling, and somewhere behind the dark clouds, the moon glowed brightly.

**So yeah, this chapter's pretty short, and it's mostly dialogue. Think of it what you will.**

**Reviewers get... Graystar plushies? Sure? And some Nerds. I got some for Easter but I have too much to eat (AKA I've already eaten so much other candy that I can't even).**

**TNT,**

**Pearls (;**


	16. Chapter 15: Sisters

**Woot woot, I'm on such a roll with my updating. ;D**

**Recap: Ratpaw meets with Russetpaw again, and they talk about the battle that had happened earlier in the day with RiverClan. Ratpaw remembers that Minnowstar planned to ask ThunderClan for territory, and if they refused, they would invade. Ratpaw doesn't tell her this, and feels guilty for it. After she leaves, he runs into Willowfall on the way back from camp, who had seen the apprentices together. She warns him that forbidden love will only end in heartbreak, but Ratpaw argues with her, demanding what she could possibly know about love. Willowfall ends up accidentally telling him that she had killed Graystar. Willowfall says that she won't tell anyone about him and Russetpaw if he keeps his mouth shut about Graystar. She leaves, and Ratpaw goes back to camp, not knowing what to do.**

Chapter 15

_Sisters_

[Snowpaw]

Snowpaw shivered as she watched Ratpaw take a bite from the sparrow that lay between them. There was so little food that every piece of prey had to be shared with at least one other cat, now. The two sat in the apprentices' den; it was afternoon, and the day that she would be getting her warrior name.

She'd hoped that the snow would have stopped by then, but it kept falling; today seemed colder than usual, too.

"I can't believe last night was my last night in the apprentices' den," Snowpaw mewed, licking a paw and drawing it over her ear. "It's gonna be pretty empty with just you and Olivepaw, isn't it? At least Bluepelt's kits will become apprentices soon. You and Olivepaw won't be the youngest ones in the den anymore! ...Ratpaw, are you listening to me?"

The tom blinked, lifting his head.

"Y...Yeah," he said. "Of course I am." He pushed the sparrow towards her, and Snowpaw quickly took a few bites, her stomach growling.

"You okay?" she mewed, her mouth full, pieces falling out. She swallowed. "You've been tense the whole day. What's wrong? C'mon, we're friends. You can tell me." She looked at him, a sly grin appearing on her face. "Oh, I get it. You know some gossip, don't you? Don't you?"

He stared at her, bewildered by her sudden energy. "I..."

"I can't believe _you_ know something that I don't," Snowpaw sighed, taking another bite. She glanced at him. "I mean, no offense, or anything. So, what is it? Did someone get a mate? Is someone expecting kits?"

Ratpaw frowned and tilted his head. "That's not-"

"C'mon, tell me already," she said, her tail twitching back and forth. "Once I become a warrior, I can boss you around. So if you don't tell me now, then you'll have to tell me tomorrow!"

The tom let out a long sigh, exasperated. "It's not gossip," he muttered. "I'm just... tired from the battle yesterday."

Snowpaw peered at him. It seemed deeper than that, but she shrugged.

"Whatever. Hey, if you go to the Gathering tonight, you have to tell me everything that happens. Okay? Promise?"

"Isn't that usually Frostpaw's job?" the tom murmured, pawing the sparrow back towards him.

Snowpaw frowned, her ears flattened slightly. She looked away, not wanting to answer.

"By the way," he muttered, taking a bite of the prey, "did something happen between you two? I haven't seen you together for a while. I haven't even seen you speak to her-"

"Nothing's wrong," she said quickly and dismissively. "She's just been busy being a medicine cat so we haven't had time to hang out." She glanced at him. Ratpaw eyed her curiously, eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't say anything else. Snowpaw was glad.

But as if on cue, who should walk into the apprentices' den but Frostpaw herself. Snowpaw and Ratpaw lifted their heads; the medicine cat apprentice smiled slightly before it quickly dissolved into a frown.

"Hey," she murmured. "Snowpaw, can I talk to you?"

Ratpaw glanced at Snowpaw, who flattened her ears, looking away.

"I'm... going to go find Olivepaw," the tom muttered, getting to his paws and uncomfortably slipping out the exit.

The two sisters were left alone, and Snowpaw felt a surge of irritation. She wanted to follow after Ratpaw, but she knew that Frostpaw would be insistent. She let out a quick sigh and turned to face her sister.

"What is it, Frostpaw?"

The she-cat blinked a few times, as if confused. Frowning, she sat down, wrapping her tail around her legs.

"You've ignored me for a whole week," she mewed, looking at her. "You can't ignore me now. You're going to actually talk to me, and... Snowpaw, look at me!"

Snowpaw rigidly looked at her, whiskers twitching.

Frostpaw waited, but when Snowpaw didn't say anything, she continued. "I know that something's wrong," she murmured. "You've barely even looked at me for the past few days. If I did something wrong, I think I at least deserve to know what that was." She looked at her pleadingly, but Snowpaw simply got to her paws.

"It's nothing," she said coldly. "I have to go talk to Furzetail." She headed towards the entrance, but Frostpaw blocked her way.

"Snowpaw, this isn't fair," she rasped. "Please, just look at me and tell me the truth, because I don't understand what I did wrong."

"You didn't do anything wrong," Snowpaw replied, her voice near a growl. "Not yet, anyway."

Frostpaw stared at her, eyes clouded in confusion and hurt.

"I have to go," Snowpaw muttered. "Get out of my way." Without another word, she pushed past her sister and walked out, leaving Frostpaw alone.

. . .

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Tallstump for a Clan meeting!"

The words rang throughout the hollow, and Snowpaw lifted her head, excitement coursing through her. It was night now, and the snow had finally stopped falling, the clouds making way to reveal the bright, full moon that shone upon the clearing. It was time.

Cats gathered forward, and Furzetail quickly licked Snowpaw's ear before she stepped forward, head held high. She sat beside Ratpaw and Olivepaw, tail flicking in anticipation. She glanced over to see Frostpaw staring at her before the medicine cat apprentice turned away and sat next to Willowfall, ears flattened. Snowpaw's whiskers twitched and she looked back up at Minnowstar.

"It is time to announce who will be attending this moon's Gathering," the leader announced, looking over her Clan, eyes glinting in the moonlight. "But first, there is something else I must do." Her eyes fell upon Snowpaw, whose heart drummed against her chest, thrilled. "Snowpaw, step forward."

Ratpaw smiled in encouragement as the she-cat got to her paws. Cats looked her way and were silent as she walked to the Tallstump. Everything was silent. Snowpaw swallowed a bit nervously.

"Snowpaw, it is time for you to become a warrior," the leader said. She lay her eyes on Ravenheart, Snowpaw's mentor. "Ravenheart, do you believe that this apprentice is ready to finish her training and receive her warrior name?"

"Yes," he said, tail flicking. "She's worked hard." Snowpaw tried to hold back a grin.

"Very well," Minnowstar murmured. She lifted her head to the sky, her fur blowing a bit in the light breeze. "I, Minnowstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." She looked at Snowpaw, her gaze stern. "Snowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

The apprentice suddenly paused, blinking. She glanced over her shoulder and looked at her sister. Their gazes met, and Frostpaw's whiskers twitched.

After a moment of silence, Snowpaw looked back at her leader and muttered, "I do."

Minnowstar looked at her for a moment before finally nodding.

"Very well. Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Snowpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Snowcloud. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan."

_Snowcloud._ The new warrior repeated the name in her head as Minnowstar hopped down from the Tallstump. She rested her muzzle on the warrior's head, and Snowcloud, in turn, licked her shoulder. She could hardly contain her excitement.

"Snowcloud!" the Clan began to cheer behind her. "Snowcloud, Snowcloud!"

Snowcloud turned, a smile on her face as the whole Clan gazed at her, cheering. Her mother was smiling with pride, and Icewhisker, who sat beside her, nodded. Ratpaw grinned and cheered, and Olivepaw reluctantly joined in.

She turned to look at Frostpaw. She wasn't cheering. Snowcloud didn't care.

"Snowcloud, you are to sit vigil tonight," Minnowstar mewed. The warrior nodded her head. She was too excited to be able to fall asleep, anyway.

The leader lashed her tail, quieting the crowd down.

"I will now select the cats who will accompany me to the Gathering," she announced. The Clan was silent, looking at her with hope and anticipation. "The cats who will be coming are Harestep, Willowfall, Redwhisker, Weaselfoot, Darkstorm, Briarclaw, Icewhisker, Furzetail, Frostpaw, Ratpaw, and Cedarpaw."

A few cats murmured in surprise when they heard that Cedarpaw would be attending, but no one dared to say anything out loud. Snowcloud glanced over to see that he was sitting beside Willowfall and Frostpaw, blinking quietly, looking confused himself.

"We leave now," called Minnowstar, lashing her tail. "ShadowClan, move out."

The chosen cats began to gather; Snowcloud watched them as they walked past her, their eyes glinting in the moonlight. She caught Frostpaw's gaze, but she quickly looked away.

Once the group had come together, Minnowstar began to lead them up the slope, finally heading off towards the island, their voices fading as the darkness swallowed them up.

She glanced around at the cats who had been left behind. Olivepaw gave her a small, forced smile before she retired to the apprentice's den. Snowcloud sighed as she let out a shiver, her excitement having, for the most part, faded. She had no desire to stay out the whole night saying nothing, and would rather be going to the Gathering. Her whiskers twitched with irritation as she wrapped her tail around her paws, looking around. Most cats were going to bed.

Bed... She let out a yawn, suddenly feeling exhausted. Before she knew it, her eyelids began to flutter... She shot them open. She had to stay awake.

Time passed, and she was completely alone. It was freezing, and she wanted nothing more than to curl up in her new nest. She let out another yawn. No one would care if she just took a little nap, right? Just to re-energize herself.

She yawned, louder this time, her eyes half-closed. She was starting to feel light-headed, as if nothing was real. Her head began to droop, and before she knew it...

. . .

She was in the middle of a dream. She lay on her side, lazily batting at a red poppy. Tall, green grass grew all around her, and a warm breeze comforted her. The sky was white, trees swaying and leaves rustling. She was talking to someone.

"...She spoke with me today," she muttered, plucking a petal from the poppy. "She thinks I'm mad at her. I feel a little bad for ignoring her."

"Don't," murmured the soft voice behind her. "I know it's hard, Snowcloud, but it's for your own good. I had a meeting recently with the rest of StarClan's cats..." The voice lowered. "It doesn't look good."

"I just can't believe she'd betray the Clan," Snowcloud muttered, mechanically chewing on a piece of grass. "I can't believe she'd betray _me."_

_"With Leafbare will come the Frost that will kill all."_ The voice repeated the prophecy quietly, the words floating through Snowcloud's ears. She shuddered slightly, closing her eyes. When she'd first heard the prophecy, she didn't know what to make of it all. She didn't understand. But a part of her knew that it was about her sister, even though she didn't want to believe it.

"Why hasn't Willowfall received the same prophecy?" she asked quietly.

"Because, Snowcloud, you're the only one who can stop her," the voice responded gently, almost sadly. "If you don't do something, then the Clans will be destroyed because of her. StarClan has seen the future, and it isn't good. The Clans will be ripped apart, and many innocent lives will be lost."

"But what can I do?" breathed the warrior, looking out into the distance. "How do I stop her?"

The voice sighed, and a moment passed over it responded. "The only solution... is to kill her."

Snowcloud flinched, her eyes widening as she sat up, turning to stare at the cat behind her.

"What?" she gasped, shaking her head in disbelief. "Frostpaw's my _sister!_ I can't..."

"I know it's hard," chocked the other cat, lowering its head. "Trust me, I know. We all had a long meeting about this and decided that this is the only solution." The cat lifted its head and looked at the warrior, a frown on its face. "I'm sorry, Snowcloud... But she has to be stopped before things grow out of paw. You'd be a hero in StarClan's eyes."

Snowcloud shook her head softly, turning away. She thought over this for a few moments, letting out a shaky breath as she tried to clear her head. She had heard what her sister would do. StarClan had told her. And StarClan was always right. If she didn't do something, Frostpaw would bring destruction to the Clans until nothing remained. It hurt her that she had to do this, but she narrowed her eyes slightly, making up her mind.

"Alright," she rasped, getting to her paws. "I... I'll do it. If it's for the good of the Clans, then she has to be stopped."

"Thank you, Snowcloud," the voice murmured regretfully. "You're our only hope. She must be stopped before she gets her medicine cat name, or it will be too late."

"I understand," Snowcloud muttered, looking at her paws and trying to ignore her conflicting emotions. Her eyes narrowed a bit more.

"StarClan blesses you," the cat said gently as the world around Snowcloud began to blur. Colors mixed and bent, and the warrior could no longer feel the grass beneath her paws. A second later, everything turned black.

. . .

Snowcloud's eyes shot open, and she sat up, glancing around warily. She was still the only one outside. In the sky, the moon shone brightly. Her Clan wasn't back from the Gathering yet.

She let out a shaky breath of air, her ears flattened, leaf-green eyes shimmering. Thoughts flooded her mind. Within her last few encounters with StarClan, she had learned the truth about her sister. She would bring destruction to the Clans, and Snowcloud was the only one who could stop her.

_The only solution... is to kill her._

The words came back to the warrior's mind, causing a shiver to travel down her spine. She quickly shook her head, trying not to let her emotions get in the way. She couldn't doubt StarClan's word. It's for the good of the Clan, she kept telling herself. It's for the good of the Clan...

A frown fell upon her face, her eyes narrowing again as she looked up at the bright moon. She knew what she had to do. And she would be a hero, to both the Clans and to StarClan. She couldn't let her sister harm the Clans when they were already facing hard times. She couldn't.

She had decided. There was no backing out, now. Frostpaw would be stopped... even if it meant that Snowcloud had to do it herself.

**LlaaaaAA too tired to think. Well, now you know what's up with Snowpaw. Er, Snowcloud. You'll see how that goes (;**

**Reviewers get a Minnowstar plushie and some vanilla pudding ;)**

**TNT,**

**Pearl!**


	17. Chapter 16: Survival

**A bit of a longer lapse in updating this time, sorry!**

**Recap: Snowpaw talks to Ratpaw, and he asks her what's going on with her and Frostpaw, who conveniently walks in. Frostpaw demands what's wrong and why Snowpaw isn't talking to her, and if she did something wrong. Snowpaw coolly replies that nothing's wrong and leaves. Later, she has her warrior ceremony, and becomes Snowcloud. As she sits vigil at camp, ShadowClan sets off for the Gathering. Snowcloud falls asleep, and in her dream, she is talking to a cat, who tells her that Frostpaw is destined to bring the Clans to destruction and that the only way to stop her is by killing her before she gets her medicine cat name. After some hesitation, Snowcloud agrees. She wakes up and decides that she has to stop her sister.**

**Yee!**

Chapter 16

_Survival_

[Willowfall]

Willowfall silently walked through the snow, following after her Clan as they headed through RiverClan and towards the island for the Gathering. She stayed at the back of the crowd, alongside Frostpaw and Cedarpaw; the tom was staring at the ground, ears flattened a bit. She wasn't sure if it was such a good idea to bring the tom, but it hadn't been her decision. Even Frostpaw, she noticed, seemed a bit upset, though she couldn't imagine why.

In front of her, she spotted Ratpaw; the tom glanced over his shoulder and gazed at her for a moment, amber eyes glowing with an emotion that was hard to read. The medicine cat flinched a bit and looked away. He hadn't left her mind since last night, when she'd accidentally blurted out that she'd been the one who'd killed Graystar. She regretted it every moment, because she thought that it had been a secret that she'd finally managed to erase. But he wouldn't tell anyone, right?

...What if he told his sister? Olivepaw already seemed suspicious of her, as if she knew things about her that even _Willowfall_ didn't know.

It seemed as if her past had been haunting her constantly these days. Blacktail. Badgerkit. Graystar. And now even Emberheart was threatening her, even though she was dead. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but what the spirit had told her when she'd gone to the Moonpool had consumed her every moment of every day. When she went to the stream, she'd think about how she'd dumped Emberheart into it. When she went to bed, she'd think of Emberheart before she'd finally sleep and dream of her somehow hurting her or her kits or Blacktail. StarClan, why did she keep thinking about Blacktail? She almost wished that she wasn't going to the Gathering, because she knew she'd seem him there. And she knew that seeing him would only set off that string of emotions that she'd always feel whenever she thought of him.

She clenched her teeth together, trying desperately not to think about it- but she knew that it would only do her any good until she got to the island and the Gathering began.

She decided to distract herself by talking to Frostpaw. "I'll have to introduce you to the other medicine cats," she mewed, walking mechanically.

Frostpaw smiled slightly, though it was forced and her eyes gleamed with something like sadness. "Yeah, I'd like to meet them. I already met Onespot."

"Onespot's a good friend of mine," Willowfall murmured. "Before you became my apprentice and I saw him at half-moon, he talked about how skilled he thought you were. He really thinks highly of you." When Frostpaw didn't reply, the medicine cat frowned and said, "Is something wrong, Frostpaw?"

The apprentice blinked and glanced at her mentor before letting out a short sigh.

"It's Snowpaw," she muttered. "Er, Snowcloud. She won't talk to me. I tried asking her if something was wrong, but she wouldn't tell me. If she's mad at me, then I don't know what I did wrong."

Willowfall blinked softly, realizing that this was the first time in a while that a cat actually opened up to her.

"Just give her a bit of time," she said. "She's probably going through things that you don't know about. She's still your sister, and she still loves you."

Frostpaw lowered her head, nodding a bit.

"I hope so," she muttered. Willowfall didn't reply. Instead, she glanced over at Cedarpaw, who seemed lost in his own little world.

"Cedarpaw?" she mewed softly. The tom looked up at her, amber eyes sparkling. The medicine cat blinked; this apprentice always made her feel a bit uneasy, for some reason. She'd kept a close eye on him ever since his father had died, and ever since he'd almost murdered one of RiverClan's she-cats. She knew that there was more to the tom than most cats knew, but she also knew that she'd never know exactly what that was.

"How are you doing?" she asked him. He turned his head away and looked in front of him, frowning, not responding. Willowfall sighed.

Before long, the island came to view, the tall trees outlined against the dark blue sky. Willowfall swallowed, feeling nervous.

ShadowClan came to the log bridge, and cats began to make their way across. The medicine cat listened for any signs of other Clans that were already there, but she heard nothing. Maybe they were the first.

She made her way across, shivering as she jumped down and landed in the snow. The Clan had turned silent as they gathered together, and Minnowstar counted her Clanmates before nodding, turning and vanishing into the undergrowth. The crowd began to follow her, and the medicine cat, saying nothing, lowered her head and did the same.

Willowfall was wrong; they weren't the first ones there. WindClan cats were gathered close together, their ears flattened, their eyes widening slightly as they raised their heads to watch ShadowClan arrive. None of them said a word, but Willowfall immediately knew that something was wrong. On closer inspection, they all looked terribly skinny, and there were far fewer than usual; only six, not including their leader. She noticed that Greenstar was sitting with his Clan instead of on the huge tree in the center of the island. His pale orange fur had seemed to grow even paler, and was ruffled and sticking together in some places, as if he were sick.

As Minnowstar led her cats forward, the WindClanners' fur rose as they stared at them uneasily, looks of fear in their eyes. ShadowClan cats murmured to each other in confusion.

"Hello, Greenstar," Minnowstar called as her Clan settled down. "How have you been?"

The tom eyed her, green eyes glowing, a frown on his face. His Clanmates glanced at each other, whispering. ShadowClanners glanced at each other and at Minnowstar, but they didn't say anything.

Just a moment later, the all too familiar scent of RiverClan wafted past. Willowfall stiffened and lifted her head, as did the others; there was silence as the snowy bushes rustled and the familiar face of Blossomstar appeared, mismatching eyes glinting brightly. The medicine cat froze when, a second later, Blacktail appeared beside her, standing tall, chest puffed out slightly.

They came forward as more cats appeared from the undergrowth, following after their leader and settling down as a group. They all had a confident air around them; some of them were smirking as they looked at ShadowClan and WindClan and whispered to each other.

"Greetings, Greenstar and Minnowstar!" purred Blossomstar, grinning widely as he tail twitched happily. "Good to see you two again."

Minnowstar narrowed her eyes, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she turned and headed towards the large tree and climbed up, taking her usual spot on a branch. Blossomstar smiled and trotted after her, climbing up and sitting on a higher branch, head raised in satisfaction as she looked down at the other cats.

"What are you doing, so high up?" Minnowstar growled, obviously irritated. "Come further down, you look ridiculous."

"I rather like the view up here," mewed Blossomstar, tilting her head as a smile broke from her lips. "But thank you for the offer, Minnowstar."

The ShadowClan she-cat narrowed her eyes, lips pulled back.

Harestep and Blacktail took their seats on the tree's roots; Barkfall, WindClan's deputy, remained in the crowd. Willowfall tried not to stare at Blacktail, but he caught her glance and her ears flattened, looking away.

"What's going on here?" demanded Minnowstar. "Greenstar, Barkfall, why don't you take your places?"

Greenstar frowned and opened his mouth to talk, but Blossomstar cut him off.

"Their places are right where they are," she said swiftly. "They won't be laying one claw on this tree."

"What in StarClan's name are you talking about?" growled Harestep, getting to his paws. Blacktail watched him quietly, flicking an ear.

Blossomstar smiled, not seeming to mind the deputy's hostility.

"You'll see once the Gathering begins. It seems like ThunderClan's late, again. Not surprising, considering their new leader hardly knows what he's doing."

Cats blinked and murmured to each other in surprise. Willowfall knew that everyone thought the same thing, but hearing another leader say it out loud was different. She glanced back at Blacktail; she wanted to ask him what was going on, but she didn't know how.

Cats were talking to each other in low voices, but everyone remained within their own Clan. Willowfall spotted Forestwind, WindClan's medicine cat; the tortoiseshell she-cat's ears were flattened and she was looking around with worry and fear.

Swallowing, Willowfall made her way over to the group. Forestwind looked up when she saw her. The ShadowClanner beckoned her with her tail; she got up and glanced around before she hesitantly took a few steps forward.

"Forestwind," Willowfall whispered, shaking her head softly. "What's going on?"

The she-cat frowned, looking away. Willowfall noticed how thin she was.

"...They have Jaguarpaw," she whispered.

Willowfall blinked at the mention of the WindClan medicine cat apprentice.

"What are you talking about?" she rasped quietly. "Who-"

"They captured him," Forestwind murmured. "He's at their camp now."

"RiverClan's...?"

The she-cat nodded, looking down at her paws as she softly shook her head.

"I let him down," she murmured. "I'm supposed to be his mentor but I can't even protect him...!"

Willowfall stared at her, nonplussed.

"What do you mean? They're holding him hostage, or...?"

The she-cat nodded, her eyes closed. When she opened them, they were sparkling with fear and sorrow.

"That's why we have to do what they say," she whispered, glancing around as if she was afraid someone would overhear. "If we don't, they'll... They'll kill him."

Willowfall's eyes widened, and she glanced up at Blossomstar, who was grooming herself on the tree branch.

"In exchange for his life, we had to give them more land," Forestwind whispered, trembling a bit as she looked at the other medicine cat desperately. "Our food has run out. More and more cats are dying every day. At this rate, there won't be anyone from WindClan left, and..." She broke off, unable to continue. She buried her face into Willowfall's shoulder, ears flattened as she shook. Willowfall frowned and comfortingly wrapped her tail around her, but she didn't know what to say or do. But when she looked up at Blossomstar again, her eyes narrowed. Was she trying to completely wipe out the other Clans?

A moment passed before heads began to raise at the sound of bushes rustling. Willowfall pricked her ears, glancing over to see Bumblestar appear from the undergrowth, his Clan following behind him. He blinked a few times as he looked around, tail twitching.

"Look who's late?" mewed Blossomstar, examining her claws. She looked up, eyes flashing. "The new leader of ThunderClan, Kittystar."

A few RiverClanners snickered at this. Even a couple ShadowClan cats seemed amused, but they made an effort to hold back their laughter. WindClan remained silent.

"I'm sorry," Bumblestar breathed, ears flattened, eyes widened, light brown fur dotted with snow. "I thought we'd be on time..."

"We _told_ you this would happen!" hissed a cat- one of _his_ cats, a black she-cat named Darkfeather. A few cats muttered in agreement. Spotfur was clearly trying to get everyone under control.

"What's this?" purred Blossomstar as she peered down from the branch. "It appears that not even cats from his own _Clan_ like Kittystar."

"Enough!" growled Minnowstar, eyes narrowed to slits. "We've delayed long enough. Now that everyone's here, let's begin the Gathering."

Blossomstar snorted, whiskers twitching. "Very well. Minnowstar, would you like to go first?"

The ShadowClan leader glared at her, but she said nothing. ThunderClan's cats hastily settled down, and Willowfall recognized Russetpaw, the she-cat she'd caught with Ratpaw. The tom had apparently spotted her as well; he was looking at her, amber eyes round with worry.

Bumblestar made his way up the tree with some difficulty, nearly losing his grip and falling several times. Cats from RiverClan snickered and grinned to each other.

"Finally," Blossomstar sighed once the tom had taken his seat on the branch a bit lower than Minnowstar's.

Minnowstar cleared her voice, eyes narrowed, a stern frown on her delicate features.

"Despite the harshness of Leafbare, Lightstream has recently given birth to two healthy kits. Also, Snowpaw had her warrior ceremony, and is now known as Snowcloud. She is sitting vigil at camp and is not here today." A few cats who knew her murmured excitedly.

"However," continued Minnowstar, her voice growing cold, "We are also facing hard times. Emberheart drowned in the stream a few weeks ago, and just yesterday, Owlwing's life was taken from us by the claws of Blossomstar herself."

Everyone was silent. ShadowClanners' heads were bowing regretfully. RiverClan cats' tails twitched impatiently. The WindClan cats glanced at each other sadly before lowering their heads, and ThunderClan just looked on wordlessly.

"They've taken land from us in exchange for the life of one of our apprentices," Minnowstar growled. "But we did not resort to murder as they did, and for that, we know that StarClan blesses us."

"Oh, but let's skip all this drama, shall we?" sighed Blossomstar in exasperation. "Our cats were starving, and we needed land. This is what Leafbare is about." She paused to let her gaze rest on the crowd, a tiny smile coming to her face. _"Survival."_ She flicked her tail, straightening up. "If you're done, Minnowstar, than I shall go." She gave her no time to respond before mewing, "I'm here to talk to you all today about some... _changes_ that are occurring. Changes that will benefit each and ever one of you. Changes that will forever rewrite the story of the Clans."

Cats stared up at her, silent, waiting. Willowfall's ears flattened; what was she going on about?

"We have talked with WindClan," Blossomstar continued, head lifted high. She looked down at Greenstar, who flinched and looked away. Blossomstar grinned before looking back at the crowd. "Greenstar and I have come to an agreement that we decided to wait until tonight to announce to you all. Because of our growing Clan, and because WindClan has the largest territory, despite it being the smallest Clan, we came to a decision that will help all of us survive." She paused again; there was tension in the air as no one dared speak. She clearly loved it. "Each and every cat in WindClan will give up its title as a WindClan cat and shall join RiverClan under my rule."

There was a shocked stillness in the clearing. Willowfall's jaw dropped slightly, eyes wide. What was going on?

"What nonsense is this?" hissed Minnowstar, finally breaking the silence. "Are you proposing that WindClan disappears altogether? That there are three Clans instead of _four?"_

Everyone quickly discussed this, a frenzied air surrounding them. WindClan said nothing.

"WindClan's cats are clearly starving," Blossomstar mewed. "Many of their cats have died just within this moon. Joining with me will benefit them, as they'll share our land with us." She glanced down at WindClan, a look of blatant disdain on her face. "However, Greenstar and his deputy will have to give up their positions of power, for they will now be cats of RiverClan, ruled by me. Greenstar and I have already discussed this."

Minnowstar stared at her, actually looking more shocked than angry. She turned to Greenstar, a look of disbelief on her face. "Greenstar? Is this true?"

The pale orange tom flattened his ears, looking away.

"But this is against the will of StarClan!" Willowfall pricked her ears when she heard the voice of Onespot, who had stepped forward and was looking desperately at Blossomstar. "There have _always_ been four Clans. There cannot be three! It's not how things are supposed to be! Look up at the sky. StarClan is already beginning to show their fury."

Cats raised their heads; indeed, a few clouds were starting to form, drifting quickly overheard. This made a few murmur quietly in concern, but Blossomstar lashed her tail, looking bored.

"This is for the good of all of us," she announced. "If RiverClan hadn't extended its kindness, then every WindClan cat would have died, anyway. We're _saving_ them." A sly grin appeared on her face. "And speaking of which, there is something else I would like to discuss with you all. I am extending this offer to anyone- and I mean anyone- who would like to join RiverClan as it grows and becomes the biggest, most glorified Clan of this forest. Would, perhaps, anyone from ThunderClan wish to join us...? Sagewhisker, Lilytooth, Flaxclaw, and Waspfang already have."

Willowfall glanced at Forestwind, whose ears were flattened as she stared at the ground, trembling. Willowfall swallowed and narrowed her eyes, though anxiety swelled through her body. Blossomstar was trying to create one huge Clan that she could completely rule. Already, WindClan had joined, and four of ThunderClan's cats as well. Before they knew it, ShadowClan and its name would be at risk of being wiped out forever.

"Stop!"

Cats raised their heads to see Bumblestar sitting up on his tree branch, eyes wide, a desperate look on his face.

"I... I know that not everyone is happy with my sudden leadership," he admitted, looking over the crowd. They listened quietly. Bumblestar swallowed and continued. "...It was all so unexpected, and Clan life is still somewhat new to me. But I'm making the biggest effort I can to-"

"If you aren't used to Clan life, then you shouldn't live in a Clan," Blossomstar interrupted, licking a paw. "It will only get harder from here. Leafbare is the harshest of all seasons, and if you're so inexperienced as you even admit to be, then aren't you just putting your own cats in danger?"

Bumblestar stared at her desperately.

"N-No," he stammered. "I care about ThunderClan more than anything. Don't you all remember Honeystar?" ThunderClanners' ears pricked at the mention of her name. "I'm doing this for her. I know that she'll watch over us all and help us make it through Leafbare. We can do this-"

_"They_ can," Blossomstar mewed, "but you can't, can you?"

"Shut up, Blossomstar!" growled Minnowstar impatiently. "Let him talk!"

"I think that he's talked quite enough," replied the RiverClan leader, lashing her tail. "I should think that the cats of ThunderClan should decide for themselves whether they wish to continue living under this inexperienced kittypet's rule who will drive them all to starvation." Her eyes gleamed as she turned to the ThunderClan cats. "Well? Would any of you care to join us and leave Kittystar behind?"

A few ThunderClan cats murmured to each other quietly, talking it over. The other Clans watched silently, not daring to say anything as they waited for their answer. Willowfall swallowed.

"...I will join RiverClan," came a voice. A cat slowly stepped forward; he was a ginger tom who was quite small, probably an apprentice.

"No!" cried a voice, and heads turned to see Russetpaw standing there, green eyes wide. Willowfall glanced over at Ratpaw, who was now staring at the scene in alarm, ears pricked as he got to his feet.

Russetpaw opened her mouth again, calling out, "Flamepaw, you can't!"

The tom, apparently named Flamepaw, turned and looked at the she-cat, green eyes narrowed.

"Can't you see what's happening, Russetpaw?" he demanded, shaking his head. "What's happening to ThunderClan? It's the same thing that happened to WindClan- we're beginning to starve, and if we continue living like this, we'll all die."

"We can't leave ThunderClan," Russetpaw rasped, taking a step forward. "Our parents never would have wanted this."

Willowfall blinked a few times; were these cats siblings? She looked over at Ratpaw, but he seemed just as surprised as she was.

"Our _parents_ never would have wanted us to _die,_ either," Flamepaw growled. "We have to go, Russetpaw. We have to survive. We can't end up like they did."

Russetpaw stared at her brother, eyes wide, ears flattened. Finally, after what seemed like years, she muttered, "Alright. I'll go with you."

Hesitantly, she took a step forward, meeting with her brother. Flamepaw nuzzled her, saying nothing.

"We're going, too," murmured a voice. A silver tabby tom stepped forward, a black and white she-cat at his side. "If sticking with Blossomstar is our best chance, then that's what we'll do. We want the best for our expected kits."

Cats muttered to each other before a few more stepped up- a golden tabby tom, a gray tom, a white and tan she-cat, and Darkfeather, who was herding forward her son, an apprentice.

"Stop!" cried Onespot pleadingly. "You can't! Look up at the sky! StarClan is furious!"

Willowfall lifted her head; the clouds had grown thicker, and were now threatening to cover the moon and block its light.

"It's too late," purred Blossomstar, who turned her gaze on Bumblestar. "Well, well, Kittystar. Looks like your Clan doesn't have faith in you after all." The tom turned away, closing his eyes and murmuring a prayer beneath his breath.

Spotfur remained where he was on the roots of the stump, and there were a handful of cats who chose to remain in ThunderClan; they were all crowded around Onespot, who was worriedly talking to himself.

"Thank you to all those cats who chose to join RiverClan," Blossomstar mewed, smiling widely. "We welcome you and we hope to ensure the prosperity of every single cat in our Clan." She now turned to Minnowstar, who met her with a glare. "Well, Minnowstar? Do any ShadowClan cats wish to follow WindClan and ThunderClan's example...?"

"No," she said coolly. "We will do no such thing."

Blossomstar's whiskers twitched, looking mildly disappointed. "Very well." She turned to the crowd, tail lifted high. "To those cats who didn't decide to join RiverClan, then I wish you the _best_ of luck in surviving this season. Because this Leafbare, things will be different. This Leafbare, my Clan will fight to survive, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that we do. Anyone may join us at any time. And as for the rest of you?" Her mismatching eyes glinted in the fading moonlight. "By the end of this season, you'll all be dead. I guarantee it." There was a brief silence that hung painfully in the air before Blossomstar lashed her tail again, a low growl of thunder sounding in the distance. "This Gathering is over."

**Hmmm. Hmm. Well.**

**Lol I never have anything to say at the end of my chapters I feel awkward talking about my story for some reason.**

**But anyway, tell me what y'all think :) Bumblestar plushies? Eh?**

**Thank you to everyone who's been reviewing, y'all rock my world. (:**

**TNT,**

**Pearls**


	18. Chapter 17: Snowfall

**Wooo another quick Pearly update!**

**Recap: Willowfall goes to the Gathering with ShadowClan. WindClan is there already, but there aren't many with them and they all look scared and weak. Forestiwind, WindClan's medicine cat, tells Willowfall that RiverClan captured their medicine cat apprentice and that WindClan has to do what they say or they'll kill him. RiverClan arrives next, and then ThunderClan. Blossomstar announces that WindClan is joining RiverClan, and asks if anyone from ThunderClan would like to join as well. A few do, including Russetpaw and her brother, Flamepaw. Onespot cries out that StarClan is furious, but Blossomstar says that it's too late, that Leafbare is about survival, and that anyone who doesn't join RiverClan will be dead by the end of the season.**

**YEeeeeeeeeee**

Chapter 17

_Snowfall_

[Russetpaw]

She shivered as she stayed low to the ground, almost completely silent as she walked through the snow, ears flattened. Her heart beat loudly against her chest, and she tried to ignore the anxiety that threatened to completely take hold of her. She'd done this before. She wouldn't be caught.

...She wouldn't be caught? How could she say that when she barely knew the territory?

It had been three days since the Gathering, and three days since she had joined RiverClan with her brother, Flamepaw. Three days since her life had suddenly changed forever.

She missed ThunderClan. She missed the oaks and maples and waiting on that dirt path for Ratpaw. But she couldn't leave Flamepaw. He was the only family she had left.

She shut her eyes for a moment, trying not to think about her parents.

It was the middle of the night; the waning moon hung high in the sky, sending a silver reflection over the quiet lake. It wasn't snowing, but dark clouds were slowly rolling in; it wouldn't be long.

She opened her eyes, a frown on her face. She was nearing the ShadowClan forest; trees loomed ahead, dark shapes silhouetted against the sky. She looked down, hoping her pawprints would soon be covered up.

When she reached the border, she uncomfortably sat down, waiting. When she had lived in the forest, it had been easier for her to hide whenever she came to meet Ratpaw. But now, she couldn't remain in her own territory without being out in the open.

Her own territory... She frowned. It was hardly her own at all. It was so different and intimidating and for the past few days she'd always wake up in the morning expecting to be in ThunderClan's camp with the other apprentices beside her.

She looked at her paws; all the apprentices had joined RiverClan except for one.

Grasspaw.

Russetpaw had never had many friends besides her brother, but Grasspaw was an exception. They'd been inseparable as kits, and even though they'd grown apart a bit over the past couple of moons, she'd still always think of him as a good friend. Being the only she-cat apprentice, she'd often feel left out, but Grasspaw would always make her feel better. There'd been a time when she even thought she'd fallen in love with him. Russetpaw blinked softly, lost in thoughts. What had happened? She couldn't quite remember. She'd always been too shy to admit her feelings to anyone, and Grasspaw had always been so dense that he probably hadn't had the slightest idea.

And one day, he'd told her that he had feelings for a young she-cat who'd somewhat recently become a warrior- Vixenfur. Russetpaw had, of course, felt heart-broken, but she'd smiled and encouraged him nonetheless. Vixenfur was one of the ones who hadn't left ThunderClan to join RiverClan.

...Was that why Grasspaw had stayed?

She shook her head. Whatever feelings she'd had for him were gone. Now she had Ratpaw- and Ratpaw had her. At least, she hoped they had each other. They had to.

...Right?

Her ears pricked when she heard the soft sound of pawsteps; she tensed, but relaxed when she scented Ratpaw. A small smile came to her face as he appeared from the trees, amber eyes glowing happily.

"Ratpaw, you're here," she breathed, getting to her paws.

"Of course," he purred, stepping forward to press his muzzle to hers. Russetpaw flattened her ears in a bit of embarrassment, but she smiled regardless.

"Thank you for meeting me," she murmured, stepping back. She lowered her gaze to the ground. "I was looking forward to seeing you..."

"I know a lot has happened," Ratpaw said quietly, sitting down. "What's going on with RiverClan...?"

Russetpaw looked away, not sure if she should tell him the truth. What it was _really_ like.

"Are you okay?" he mewed anxiously, frowning. "Are they treating-"

"They're treating me fine," she quickly lied, glancing up at him after a moment with a crooked smile. "I'm fine..."

Ratpaw nodded, swallowing. He looked a bit uncomfortable, but after a second of hesitation, he asked, "Is... Is Blossomstar planning on attacking ShadowClan...?"

Russetpaw looked at him, and a small corner of her mind wondered if he only wanted to see her to gain information. But she quickly pushed that silly thought aside.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "Blossomstar usually keeps to herself..."

Ratpaw looked at her, his expression a bit hard to read before he nodded.

"That's alright," he mewed quietly. "I was just wondering."

There was a bit of an awkward silence between them, and Russetpaw wondered why that was.

"Are... Are things going alright with you and ShadowClan?" she mewed.

He tilted his head, as if contemplating the answer.

"We're running out of food," he murmured. "It's getting serious." He hesitated and let out a long sigh before looking at her with something like regret in his eyes. "There's something I have to tell you," he murmured. Russetpaw stiffened, feeling anxious, but she simply nodded.

"What is it...?"

"Minnowstar was planning on attacking ThunderClan," he said quietly. "...Before the Gathering. Before you joined RiverClan. And the last time we met, I... I didn't tell you. I could have, but..." He shook his head, looking desperate and confused. "I didn't want to put you in danger," he tried to explain. "But for some reason the words couldn't come out... Russetpaw, I care about you so much, but I care about my Clan, too, and if you..." He broke off and looked up at her.

"You mean you thought I'd tell my Clan," she said quietly. "And you didn't want me to, so you kept it from me." She paused, biting her lip. "But you're still planning on attacking...?"

"I know I don't have to worry anymore," he said quietly, a small smile appearing on his face. "Now that you're a part of RiverClan, I won't have to worry about facing you in battle."

Russetpaw flinched a bit, for a few reasons. Even though Blossomstar hadn't announced any official plans yet, she _knew_ that at some point, she would attempt to take over ShadowClan. She wanted to rule over every cat she could.

But that wasn't all. "Ratpaw, if ShadowClan attacks ThunderClan, then they'll all die," she breathed. "ThunderClan is tiny now. If you attack..." She shook her head softly, staring at him.

Ratpaw looked surprised.

"We're running out of food," he said, as if confused. "Russetpaw, if we don't make a move, our whole _Clan_ will die out."

"But I still care about them!" Russetpaw breathed. "They wouldn't stand a chance against ShadowClan! Minnowstar would end up wiping out the entire Clan!"

Ratpaw stared at her, nonplussed for a moment before he said, his voice rising, "Well, what do you want me to _do,_ Russetpaw? Let _my_ Clan die because you still care about the ones you left behind?"

The she-cat flattened her ears, looking away.

"You don't understand," she muttered. "I had no choice to leave. But I would still die for those cats-"

"If you would die for them, then you should have _stayed_ with them," Ratpaw shot back, his voice near a growl.

Russetpaw narrowed her eyes slightly. "I couldn't leave my brother."

"Well, he looked pretty ready to leave _you_ at the Gathering."

Russetpaw stared at him in horror, eyes wide. Ratpaw met her gaze, letting out a quick sigh.

"Russetpaw, I'm sorry-"

"No," she said, taking a step back. "You don't know what it's _like._ Flamepaw is the only family I have left. My parents..." She swallowed, shaking her head as she looked at the ground. She let out a deep breath before lifting her head, their eyes locking. "My parents died when we were just a few weeks old. They both starved." She bit her lip, ears flattened as she looked away.

Ratpaw stared at her, a frown on his face. He let out another sigh.

"I'm sorry, Russetpaw..."

"No, don't," she muttered. "It was a long time ago. I barely remember them." She glanced up at him. "And... I'm sorry for yelling at you about attacking ThunderClan. It's just... my best friend still lives there, and..."

"Your best friend?" he echoed, tail twitching in curiosity. "She didn't join RiverClan?"

"It's 'he,'" Russetpaw muttered. "Grasspaw." Ratpaw looked curious, but for some reason, Russetpaw had no desire to talk about Grasspaw with him. "It doesn't matter," she murmured. "It's like what Blossomstar said; survival. Leafbare is about survival."

Ratpaw let out another long sigh, looking up at the cloudy sky. He didn't talk for a few moments. Russetpaw didn't either.

"Just be careful," he said softly, looking at her with concern.

She nodded stiffly, a bit lost in thoughts. "You too."

He nodded, frowning. But he stepped forward and tenderly licked Russetpaw's ear. "You should go," he said. "I don't want you to get in trouble..."

"I'll be fine," Russetpaw cut in, voice hard. But she smiled slightly and looked up at him. "...Thanks."

The tom nodded, looking a bit concerned, but he didn't question her. "I'll see you soon," he said, smiling a bit before he turned and disappeared into the darkness of the forest.

Russetpaw sat there for a few minutes, ears flattened as she thought about and tried to process everything that had been said. She sighed, and when she finally got up, she realized it had begun to snow.

Shaking her pelt, she swallowed and let out a shiver as she slowly began to walk back through her territory, ears flattened as she stared at the ground.

She lifted her head, looking out at the lake as she walked alongside the shore. She paused for a moment; the water really was beautiful. She didn't usually get such a clear view, but she could almost see the appeal of living in RiverClan, if only for that.

She wondered how the other ThunderClanners were doing, and what kind of view they had right now. She wondered if they were alright. She wondered if Grasspaw was alright.

She sighed, clenching her eyes shut before opening them again and continuing on through the snow. It fell softly and soundlessly, yet it was growing harder and colder each second that passed. At least it'd cover up her pawprints.

She suddenly stopped in her tracks, one paw still hanging in the air, her heart nearly stopping. Several foxlengths ahead of her, in the blurry, snowy haze, she could faintly see the outline of a cat, standing tall and still, looking directly at her.

She let out a shaky breath, slowly lowering herself to the ground and praying that she was either seeing things or that this cat would go away.

It didn't.

She watched as slowly, but surely, the shape came forward, the quickening snowfall making it hard to see. She narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out who it was as she meanwhile tried to keep herself and her breathing under control.

Then, she saw two glowing eyes- one blue and one amber.

Russetpaw kept still, unable to move. It was Blossomstar.

"I see you there, you know," the older cat purred, coming closer, now close enough for Russetpaw to see the odd smile on her face. She stopped when they were finally just a couple of foxlengths apart.

Russetpaw slowly straightened up, a frown on her face as she looked steadily at her new leader and trying not to show her fear.

"Tanpaw told me you were gone," she purred, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her legs. "I'm glad I found you. Would you like to tell me why you were out here by yourself...?" She was grinning widely, cocking her head to the side as she eyed the apprentice in a way that made Russetpaw shiver.

"I-I was just taking a walk," she said, praying she'd believe her.

"Really?" purred Blossomstar, licking a paw and drawing it over her ear. "And were you not listening when I told the Clan that apprentices are not to leave camp by themselves...?" She glanced at her, mismatching eyes flashing. "Especially apprentices who just joined us...?"

"I'm sorry," Russetpaw murmured, looking at her paws.

Blossomstar's smile suddenly disappeared, her eyes darkening as she got to her paws.

"Sorry isn't _good_ enough," she hissed, lips now drawn back, eyes narrowed to slits as she took a step forward. Russetpaw stumbled backwards, eyes wide. "You've been here what, three days, and already you go against _my _orders? That's how you repay my kindness to you...?"

"I'm _sorry,_ Blossomstar," breathed Russetpaw. "It was wrong. I shouldn't have gone. I... I didn't know what I was thinking."

Blossomstar softened, fur flattening, a small smile slowly creeping onto her face as she gazed at the apprentice.

"Me neither," she whispered.

A moment of silence passed before Blossomstar suddenly came forward, lifting a paw and striking it across Russetpaw's face.

The impact of the blow knocked her to the ground; the apprentice yelped in pain as she felt warm blood oozing from her cheek, dripping down her fur and staining the white snow.

But before she had time to get up, Blossomstar had pinned her down, one paw at her shoulder, claws digging into her skin, and the other at her throat. Russetpaw gasped, her vision blurred; she didn't know what to do. She could only feel pain.

"This is what you get," Blossomstar whispered into her ear, causing another shiver to travel down Russetpaw's spine. "You're just a little ThunderClan apprentice who doesn't even know how to follow orders." She suddenly raised her paw, lashing it across Russetpaw's face again, this time across her forehead. The apprentice gasped in pain, clenching her eyes shut as she felt blood drip down her face.

Desperately, she tried kicking out her back legs, but Blossomstar was bigger and stronger and she kept her held down to the hard ground.

Coming even closer to the apprentice's ear, the leader bent down and whispered, "You, Russetpaw...? You're _nothing._ You were nothing before, and being in RiverClan won't change it. I don't pity your parents one _bit_ for starving to death and leaving you alone. If anything, it should've been _you,_ not them. At least _they_ could follow their orders." Without giving the apprentice any time to speak, Blossomstar lifted her paw again, this time bringing her claws down Russetpaw's side, leaving a long gash that fresh blood welled from.

Russetpaw yowled out, thrashing about as she tried to escape. Blossomstar was smiling softly, eyes glowing as she watched. She struck again at the apprentice's shoulder before she brought her face so close to Russetpaw's that they were almost touching.

"This is your first warning, do you understand me, Russetpaw?" she cooed softly, smiling as her mismatching gleamed in the moonlight, which had, by now, almost completely been covered up by clouds.

Russetpaw lay in the snow, eyes clenched shut, pain coursing through her body as she struggled to breathe. She opened her eyes, swallowing as she stared right at her leader, trying her hardest not to look away.

Blossomstar smiled and finally got up, taking a few steps back. She turned, as if to leave, but she paused and glanced over her shoulder.

"Oh, and Russetpaw?" she mewed. "In the future, I'd take better care to get rid of the ShadowClan scent on you."

The apprentice closed her eyes again at this, listening as Blossomstar began to pad away, disappearing into the snowy darkness.

Russetpaw clenched her jaws together, trying to move, but when she did, pain shot through her entire body. She let out a gasp of air and lay her head back down, eyes wide as she panted.

She shut her eyes again and tried desperately to think about something else. An image of Grasspaw kept entering her mind, and she wondered what he'd do if he were there.

...She wondered what _Ratpaw_ would do if he were there.

She lay there or a long time, eyes half-closed, the image of the lake ahead of her growing hazy. Everything around her seemed to have been completely silenced.

Eventually, she finally staggered to her paws, hissing at the pain but managing to stay on her feet. She slowly made her way back towards RiverClan's camp, leaving a trail of blood behind her. The snow kept falling.

**So, yeah. Surprise, Russetpaw has a POV.**

**Can't say I really like her all that much, heh. Well, think of her as you will! I'm not sure if her POV will be as regular as the other characters yet; we shall see.**

**Review and get... Uh. An Oakkit plushie just because. And some of my delicious rice pudding!**

**Love y'all.**

**TNT,**

**Pearlywhirl**


	19. Chapter 18: Unanswered Prayers

**Heyooo.**

**Recap: Russetpaw waits at the border between ShadowClan and RiverClan for Ratpaw. As she waits, she thinks about how her life has changed since she joined RiverClan. She thinks about a friend of hers, Grasspaw, that she used to have feelings for, who remained in ThunderClan. Ratpaw shows up, and he tells her that Minnowstar was thinking about attacking ThunderClan, but that now he didn't have to worry about facing Russetpaw in battle. She knows, however, that they probably will, and begs him not to hurt the ThunderClan cats she still cares about. Ratpaw argues with her, telling her that his Clan needs to survive, too. Things are left somewhat awkwardly as Ratpaw leaves. On her way back, Russetpaw runs into Blossomstar, who beats her and yells at her, leaving alone in the snow. Russetpaw eventually makes her way back to camp.**

Chapter 18

_Unanswered Prayers_

[Frostpaw]

"...And what does catnip do, again?" asked Willowfall, tail wrapping around her paws as they sat in the medicine den.

"It helps cure Greencough," murmured Frostpaw, feeling distracted. "Say, Willowfall, don't you think it's time for Cedarpaw to go back to the apprentices' den?" She kept her voice low as she glanced over at the tom. He was sitting with Olivepaw, neither of them speaking.

The medicine cat blinked softly before letting out a sigh. "I'll discuss it with Briarclaw and Minnowstar," she mewed. "It's so hard to tell if he's better or not because he hasn't said a word."

"At least Minnowstar chose him for the Gathering a few days ago," Frostpaw muttered. "That's something."

Frostpaw frowned as she reminded herself about the Gathering. It had been the only thing anyone could talk about for the past few days. WindClan was gone. Blossomstar ruled over both Clans and now controlled the marshes _and_ the moors. And quite a few ThunderClanners had joined her, as well. ThunderClan was tiny now as Bumblestar tried his best to keep things under control and prevent more cats from leaving. Surprisingly, ShadowClan hadn't seen much of RiverClan since the Gathering, but no cat could deny that something was coming.

"I heard that Minnowstar was thinking of attacking ThunderClan to get more territory," Frostpaw said quietly, ears flattened as she glanced at her mentor. "Do you know anything about that?"

Willowall frowned, blue eyes shining. "She hasn't said much about it since the Gathering," she muttered. "But I think she realizes now that if we even lay a claw on ThunderClan, then they'll collapse and fall to the ground."

"But if we don't, then won't _we_ collapse?" Frostpaw asked quietly.

Willowfall sighed, closing her eyes. "That's the thing about Leafbare," she mewed. "Not everyone is going to make it... Especially not this time."

Frostpaw frowned, looking down before she glanced at her mentor, murmuring, "Then... Why don't we join with ThunderClan...?"

Willowfall glanced at her as she sorted through some dried herbs.

"I have a feeling that Minnowstar wouldn't like that idea."

"RiverClan is bound to attack at some point," Frostpaw murmured. "And when they do, we won't stand a chance unless we join ThunderClan."

"Even then we wouldn't stand much of a chance," sighed her mentor. "ThunderClan is tiny, now."

"But still," Frostpaw breathed. "Blossomstar said that the cats who don't join RiverClan will be dead by the end of Leafbare. She's planning something, I know it."

Willowfall frowned, but she didn't respond. She kept sorting her herbs, putting them in little piles.

"I'm going to step outside," murmured Frostpaw. Willowfall had no objections, so the apprentice turned and slipped out of the den.

It was snowing, just as it always was nowadays. It was midday, the white clouds bright, crows cawing every now and then. But other than that, it was mostly still.

She pricked her ears when she saw Minnowstar gathering a group of cats. She saw Harestep there, along with Icewhisker, Furzetail, Briarclaw, and Redwhisker. Minnowstar was talking seriously, her ears flattened as they discussed something. _I wonder what that's about._

Sighing, she glanced around and blinked when she saw Ratpaw sitting by himself at the edge of the camp, right before the ground sloped up. There was a frown on his face, his amber eyes dull as he examined the Clan. His coal-colored fur was tipped with flakes of snow, as if he'd been there for a while. Frostpaw blinked in curiosity. He was usually either with Olivepaw, Snowcloud, or Furzetail, who was his mentor.

Tail flicking, she approached him. He lifted his head when he saw her, but said nothing.

"...Can I sit?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah."

She sat down beside him, suppressing a shiver. It was a cold day, and she wondered how he could be out here for so long without getting cold.

"Do you know what they're talking about?" Frostpaw asked quietly, watching Minnowstar talking to the group.

"Yeah," he said absently. "Minnowstar plans on brining a patrol over to ThunderClan to see if they can work something out without resorting to violence."

"That's great!" Frostpaw mewed, looking at him. "The last thing we need is more deaths after we've already had so many this Leafbare."

Ratpaw nodded, though his thoughts seemed to be elsewhere. Frostpaw noticed.

"Is something wrong?" she asked quietly, glancing at him and hoping he wouldn't think she was trying to get into his business.

He let out a long sigh, and it was a few moments before he answered.

"...A few things," he admitted under his breath, staring out in the distance.

"You can tell me, if you want," Frostpaw murmured. "If you want, that is. I don't want to pry."

He flicked an ear before turning to face her, his eyes gleaming thoughtfully.

"You've changed," he said quietly. "Ever since you became Willowfall's apprentice and you started spending less time with Snowcloud, you've changed completely."

"...Maybe not," Frostpaw said with a sigh, looking out at the camp. "Maybe it's who I've always been."

"...I like it better," Ratpaw murmured, following her gaze. "What's going on with you and Snowcloud, anyway...? She told me that you just don't have time to hang out anymore because you're always training with Willowfall."

"StarClan knows what's going on between us," muttered Frostpaw. "She won't even _look_ at me. I'm afraid I did something wrong, but she keeps avoiding me and she won't tell me what it is." She flicked her tail and looked at him, a small smile appearing on her face. "But didn't I ask _you_ about _your_ problems...?"

He laughed softly, giving a small shrug. "I guess you did." His smile quickly disappeared before he glanced at her. "Well... One of them is that..." He paused, as if carefully choosing his words. "There... There's this cat that I like. That is, I... I thought I liked her. I thought I liked her a lot. I mean, no, I still do, but..." He bit his lip. "I'm... just wondering if I'm having second thoughts, or not. I can't make up my mind." He sighed. "I guess for a while I could only see the positive things about her, but I'm realizing that there's always more to someone than just the good things. I'm not sure what to do."

Frostpaw stared at him in surprise. She had no idea that he liked anyone. She quickly went through the list of possible cats... Cinderblaze? She was sort of young... Maybe Icekit? She and her brothers were scheduled to become apprentices that day, so he wasn't that much older than her...

She froze. What about Snowcloud?

It made sense, didn't it? They were friends, after all, and there really weren't many other choices.

But she swallowed, for some reason not wanting to ask if it was her sister or not.

"The only way you'll find out for sure is if you spend more time with her," Frostpaw said quietly. "You have to see who she truly is. See the side that she won't let anyone else see. Getting to know a cat takes time."

Ratpaw nodded, thinking over this.

"You're right," he mewed. "Thanks... I'll do that. She's... just been acting differently lately." He quickly shook his head. "But I won't give up on it yet. I still like her, and I don't want to let her go so soon."

Frostpaw smiled a bit, though she tried not to let her extreme curiosity show.

"Good. I hope it works out."

Ratpaw smiled.

"Is that all?" Frostpaw mewed, watching him. He flinched a bit, his claws flexing and digging into the snow. He seemed anxious.

"...No," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "I..." He sighed. "I can't tell you the details. But... I know something that I wasn't supposed to know, and I can't tell anyone. But it's hard, being the only cat who knows it. And it's something that I don't want to have to keep to myself..."

Frostpaw stared at him. It was clearly important.

"Is it about someone in ShadowClan?" she asked quietly. Ratpaw flinched again, giving Frostpaw the answer.

But he lowered his head, ears flattening a bit before he muttered, "I'm sorry, Frostpaw, I... I can't get you involved in this. It's too dangerous."

The she-cat frowned, concerned.

"No, I understand. I'm just worried about you, Ratpaw," she said quietly. She sighed, shaking her head. "Just... Whatever you do, be careful, alright?"

Ratpaw nodded slowly before he looked at her.

"You really have changed," he murmured.

Frostpaw smiled a bit. He smiled back.

. . .

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Tallstump for a Clan meeting."

Frostpaw yawned as she stepped out of the den, Willowfall and Cedarpaw following close behind. It was evening; the clouds had cleared out, but the sun had already set long ago. Now, the oval-shaped moon hung in the sky, sending silver light scattering through the leafless trees.

Cats gathered around the Tallstump, chattering amongst themselves. They all knew what would happen- it was time for Icekit, Littlekit, and Brokenkit to become apprentices. Not only that, but most of them expected Minnowstar to tell them what she intended to do about ThunderClan. Food was growing scarcer by the day, and Willowfall had told Frostpaw that it was growing dangerous. The risk of death by starvation was growing, and it made the apprentice worried.

Minnowstar lashed her tail, and the talking ceased. As she stood atop the Tallstump, Frostpaw noticed that she could see her ribs.

"Brokenkit, Icekit, Littlekit, please step forward."

Brokenkit and Littlekit smiled at each other before stepping forward with excitement. Icekit, for some reason, seemed a bit hesitant. Her head was low and it looked as if something was wrong. Frostpaw watched her carefully, a bit concerned. From a few foxlengths away, Bluepelt watched with a tiny smile. Minnowstar let her gaze fall on them.

"Brokenkit, Icekit, Littlekit. You have all reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior names, you shall be known as Brokenpaw, Icepaw, and Littlepaw. Brokenpaw, your mentor will be Harestep. Icepaw, your mentor is Redwhisker. Littlepaw, your mentor is Cinderblaze. I hope that they will pass on everything they know to you."

Cinderblaze and Redwhisker smiled and stepped forward. Harestep took a step forward from the foot of the Tallstump and met them. Minnowstar watched them.

"Cinderblaze, Redwhisker, and Harestep. You have all received excellent training from your own mentors, and it is my wish that you pass on everything that you know to these new apprentices."

The three apprentice came forward to touch noses with their mentors as the crowd began to cheer their names.

"Icepaw!"

"Littlepaw!"

"Brokenpaw!"

Brokenpaw puffed out his chest with pride as he smiled, looking out at the Clan as they cheered for him. Littlepaw, though a bit shier, let his happiness show with a smile and a gleam in his eyes.

Icepaw stood a bit further away from them, green eyes wide as she gazed over the Clan. Her light gray fur was a bit ruffled, and Frostpaw thought she could see her legs shaking. She glanced at Willowfall with worry, but her mentor didn't seem to sense anything wrong.

"Congratulations!" called out Furzetail, with a few yowls of agreement from other cats.

That was when Icepaw took a small step back, now visibly trembling from nose to tail tip. Her eyes grew dull, and within just a few seconds, her eyelids began to droop and she suddenly collapsed in the snow.

Frostpaw immediately got to her feet, as did Willowfall, who darted forward. Cats gasped in horror and began to exclaim loudly to each other. Some began to crowd around her in concern and fear.

"Back off!" Minnowstar yelled over the crowd. "Give her some space!" Littlepaw and Brokenpaw, meanwhile, stood and stared with horror at their sister.

Frostpaw ran up to her mentor, who was now at Icepaw's side.

"She's unconscious," breathed Willowfall. "Frostpaw, help me take her to our den." The apprentice quickly nodded, feeling her heart drumming against her chest. But she couldn't let that fear control her, so she took a deep breath and helped lift Icepaw onto Willowfall's back.

"What's wrong with her?" demanded Bluepelt loudly, voice scratchy with worry. "What's wrong with my Icepaw!"

"She's going to be fine," called Willowfall quickly as she and Frostpaw made their way to the medicine den. Frostpaw could see the worry in her mentor's eyes.

Once inside, they immediately set Icepaw down in a bed of moss. Her breathing was shallow.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Frostpaw, eyes wide. "I saw her. She was trembling. What happened...?"

"She needs water," Willowfall said, reaching for a ball of moss and placing it at Frostpaw's feet. "Go get some from the pool outside." When the apprentice hesitated, Willowfall raised her voice; "Go!"

Frostpaw raced out of the den, moss in her mouth.

Not too far beyond camp, there was a small spring that formed a tiny pool of water. It was helpful because they didn't need to go all the way to the stream or to the lake every time they needed water. Soaking the moss in the water, she raced back to camp, her mind buzzing. She nearly bumped into a few cats as she darted back into the medicine den.

"Good," Willowfall murmured, taking the moss. She opened Icepaw's mouth and dripped a few drops of water in.

"Do you know what's wrong with her, yet?" Frostpaw asked quietly, frowning as she watched Icepaw. "She just became an apprentice... She has to survive..."

"She collapsed because of malnutrition," Willowfall muttered, going through some herbs. "She probably hasn't eaten in days. Her body couldn't take it and it just shut itself down."

"But she'll be alright, right?" Frostpaw pressed. "She'll eat something and then she'll be better, right?"

Willowfall paused and looked at her apprentice, frowning.

"Icepaw has always been the most feeble of her siblings," she said quietly. "In this shape, she's vulnerable for illness, which, in the middle of Leafbare, isn't incredibly unlikely."

Frostpaw stared at her mentor in disbelief.

"So you're saying she could die," she murmured, feeling intense sorrow suddenly course through her. She was so young.

"Hopefully she'll wake up soon," Willowfall sighed. "We'll keep a close watch on her. But the cold isn't going to help her. We'll get her something to eat as soon as the evening hunting patrol returns."

Frostpaw nodded stiffly before she sat down close to Icepaw. She didn't know her that well, but she remembered watching her play with her brothers when they were smaller. They'd hide and play in the snow and it would remind Frostpaw of when she and Snowcloud were kits. She would watch them the same way Furzetail had watched her. It was strange, but she felt an almost motherly connection with them; with Icepaw, especially. They even looked alike.

She let her tall all on the unconscious cat's back, muttering a silent prayer to StarClan under her breath. She hoped they would hear.

. . .

Sundown had long since passed, and night had taken hold of ShadowClan. Bitter cold, as always, gripped at the cats like claws. The cloudless sky hadn't lasted long, for the moon was once again hiding as snow quietly fell.

Inside the medicine den, Frostpaw and Willowfall exchanged a glance before the older cat slowly nodded. Sucking in a deep breath, the apprentice followed after her mentor out of the medicine den, ears flattened, head and tail hung low.

Outside, several cats were gathering around the den, even though it was now the middle of the night. Bluepelt stood with Brokenpaw and Littlepaw; the two apprentices were talking anxiously. Cedarpaw had left the den to stand with Olivepaw and Ratpaw, frowns on all of their faces. Minnowstar, Harestep, and Bramblestripe were there as well, along with Redwhisker, who had just been appointed as Icepaw's mentor. Even Snowcloud was there, an ear flicking as she sat beside Ratpaw.

A silence fell upon them as the two medicine cats appeared. They lifted their heads, eyes shining with a question they didn't dare ask.

Frostpaw couldn't look at them.

Willowfall took a step forward, and when she let her tail rest comfortingly over Frostpaw's back, the apprentice glanced up at her, somewhat surprised.

"Well?" Minnowstar finally pressed, tail twitching.

Willowfall blinked softly before closing her eyes and murmuring, "...Icepaw is dead."

Gasps of horror erupted from the gathered cats. Olivepaw, Ratpaw, and Cedarpaw had fallen silent and were staring at the medicine cats. Bramblestripe's eyes widened, her jaw dropping. Redwhisker visibly flinched in surprise. Snowcloud's ears flattened and she stared directly at Frostpaw, who avoided her gaze.

Bluepelt stood rigid, saying nothing as she stared at the medicine cats in shock. Littlepaw and Brokenpaw stood the same way before Littlepaw breathed, "Oh, StarClan, no."

That was when Bluepelt suddenly let out a long, low cry, her shoulders dropping as she began to tremble. Bramblestripe came forward to comfort her, but the other cat pulled her lips back at her before she whipped her head back towards Willowfall and Frostpaw, her blue eyes suddenly narrowed to slits.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head, now looking at the two with something like hatred. "How could you let this happen to her...!"

"We did everything we could for her," murmured Willowfall, though she said it stiffly and with some difficulty. "We-"

"Don't give me that foxdung!" snarled Bluepelt, ears flattened against her skull as she took a step forward. The others watched her in alarm as they straightened up.

"Bluepelt, stop!" growled Minnowstar, coming forward. "Willowfall and Frostpaw did their best-"

"They could have saved her," breathed Bluepelt, shaking her head again. "They could have saved my Icepaw... They let her-"

"Mom," whispered Littlepaw, rushing to his mother's side and pressing himself against her. Brokenpaw quickly followed after him. "Please..."

The she-cat turned to look at her sons, her eyes now wide and glimmering with overwhelming emotion. She clenched her eyes shut and lay her head on top of Littlepaw's, wrapping her tail around her two kits, shaking. They closed their eyes, too, saying nothing.

There was silence for a few moments as cats sadly bowed their heads. Frostpaw shut her eyes, squeezing them so tightly it hurt. It was always sat when a Clanmate died. But this time, she had actually been there. She had tried to _save_ her, and she had failed. She didn't know how Willowfall could do this. How she could act so calm and collected when a cat died at her paws. She glanced up at her mentor. She was watching Bluepelt quietly, a frown on her face and a strange look in her eyes.

"That's it," muttered Minnowstar, eyes narrowing. Everyone looked up at her. She lashed her tail, lifting her head high. "This has gone far enough. A cat, a cat who had only just become an apprentice, has died from starvation. If we don't act, then she won't be the only one."

A few cats who had woken up from the commotion were stumbling out of their dens, wondering what was going on, only to fall to silence when they realized what had happened.

"We're leaving tomorrow at sunhigh," announced Minnowstar, eyes wild with determination.

Harestep looked at her, meowing, "Leaving where...?"

"To ThunderClan. This madness has to end."

Cats stared at in her in a mixture of surprise and curiosity, before Harestep questioned, "To try and work things out with Bumblestar...?"

"I'm tired of _trying,"_ Minnowstar growled. "We are expanding our territory tomorrow, no matter what happens. If the price that has to be paid is the lives of some ThunderClan cats, then so be it. I won't let one more of my Clanmates die this Leafbare. And that's a promise."

Everyone was silent. By now, the clearing had been filled, and every cat was looking at their leader, saying nothing.

Minnowstar lashed her tail again, saying not another word before she turned and retreated to her den.

Cats remained silent for quite a while. One by one, they went inside the medicine cat to privately mourn for Icepaw. Frostpaw sat far away, watching with an intense feeling of sorrow.

A cat sat next to her. She thought that it was Willowfall, but when she turned she saw, to a bit of her surprise, that it was her mother.

"...I'm proud of you," Furzetail whispered, looking at her daughter.

"I let her die," Frostpaw muttered, shaking her head. "Icepaw is _dead_ because of me."

"That's not true," Furzetail said softly. "You and Willowfall did everything that you could for her. There comes a time when the life of a cat is held in the paws of StarClan, and in the paws of StarClan alone. These things happen. Nobody's perfect." She gave her daughter a small, sad smile, her blue eyes glowing fondly. "I'm proud of you, Frostpaw. I'm proud of the cat that you're becoming."

Frostpaw found that her mother's words touched her, but she was unable to express her feelings of gratitude. So she just sat there, saying nothing. A few minutes passed before Furzetail got to her paws.

"I'm going to say a few words to Icepaw," she whispered before licking her daughter's ear. "Please get some rest, soon. It's been a long day."

Frostpaw nodded absently as her mother got up and padded off. The apprentice's fur ruffled in a cold breeze, but she didn't shiver. She was scared. Scared that there would be more deaths like Icepaw's.

As the snow kept falling, all she could do was pray to StarClan that there wouldn't be. But even while she prayed, she had a feeling that they weren't going to answer.

**Yeah, I know that Cedarpaw usually comes before Frostpaw, but I'm messing up the order a bit. He'll be next.**

**Review and get an Icepaw plushie? :')**

**Je vous aime.**

**TNT,**

**Pearl**


	20. Chapter 19: A Brief Reunion

**Hey, guys! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I know I suck. I've been busier than life.**

**Recap: Frostpaw trains with Willowfall, and then she talks with Ratpaw, who tells her that he's in love with a cat but that he might be having second thoughts. Frostpaw assumes that it's Snowcloud. Ratpaw tells Frostpaw that he likes what she's become. Littlekit, Brokenkit, and Icekit get their apprentice names, but Icepaw passes out. Frostpaw and Willowfall try to save her, but she ends up dying because of malnutrition. Icepaw's mother, Bluepelt, is devastated, and blames Willowfall and Frostpaw, who feels awful. Fruzetail comforts Frostpaw and she mutters a prayer to StarClan.**

**Yay!**

Chapter 19

_A Brief Reunion_

[Cedarpaw]

"Wow, it's been a long time, hasn't it?" Briarclaw was mewing as he walked alongside his apprentice, a smile on his face and the morning sunlight in his eyes. It was a clear day, so far. "I'm so glad Willowfall finally agreed to let you restart training. She told me that we should go slow, though, so we're only doing a little bit today. Is that alright?"

Cedarpaw flicked an ear as he walked beside his mentor through the trees. He was talking to him as if he were a kit.

"I wonder what will happen with ThunderClan today," Briarclaw said with a sigh, frowning. "Minnowstar is prepared to do anything to get more land. But if we wipe out ThunderClan, then that will just leave ShadowClan more vulnerable. Blossomstar is bound to attack at some point."

Cedarpaw flattened his ears, his tail twitching. He highly doubted that Minnowstar would choose him for the patrol. On the other paw, she _had_ chosen him for the Gathering, which had honestly surprised him. It felt like he hadn't gone to a Gathering in forever.

"Anyway," Briarclaw murmured, his dark amber eyes turning to his apprentice, "just let me know if you think training is too much and if you want to go back to camp. I'm still worried about you, you know. I know that you haven't completely gotten over your father's death..."

Cedarpaw felt a surge of irritation. Briarclaw had _no_ idea what he was thinking. But he had no desire to say anything. His mentor wouldn't understand.

The two cats soon approached a small clearing, where apprentices were taken to train. Cedarpaw looked around, blinking his amber eyes. It'd been a long time since he'd come here. It felt strange, as if things were back to the way they were and everything was normal again. But he knew that that wasn't true. Things had never been normal to begin with. Not since Waterkit had died.

He flattened his ears, not wanting to think about it.

"I figured we'd work on fighting tactics," Briarclaw mewed, smiling slightly before it quickly faded. "We don't have much prey to hunt, anyway..." He shook his head, facing his apprentice. "Attack me," he mewed.

Cedarpaw hesitated for a moment before leaping forward. Briarclaw, assuming that he would attack straight on, dodged to the left. But that was what Cedarpaw had been anticipating; he mirrored his mentor before lunging for him, knocking the surprised warrior into the snow.

Before the apprentice had time to pin him down, Briarclaw kicked out his back legs, shoving the smaller cat off. While Cedarpaw regained his balance, Briarclaw rolled over onto his stomach. But before he could get up, the apprentice launched himself at him again, shoving him back against the ground. The bigger cat rolled back over onto his back, causing Cedarpaw to lose his balance. But he quickly regained it and pinned Briarclaw to the ground, his belly facing up. Cedarpaw kept one paw firmly at the warrior's shoulder, and without even thinking, he brought his other paw up, claws flexed, preparing a strike.

He paused, paw still hanging in the air as he looked down at his mentor, who had a surprised look on his face, amber eyes wide.

Cedarpaw blinked softly, slowly lowering his paw before he stepped off of him.

"...That was good," Briarclaw mewed, slightly breathless as he got to his paws. "I know I've told you this before, but you really are a good fighter, Cedarpaw. I'd say you're the best of all the apprentices. Maybe even some of the warriors."

Cedarpaw swallowed, for some reason his mentor's praise not making him feel good at all. He flattened his ears.

. . .

The sun was nearing its highest by the time Briarclaw and Cedarpaw were making their way through the snowy woods and back towards camp. Snow had begun to fall softly and clouds bleached the sky white. As the apprentice walked, he could sense that his mentor kept sending him glances, but he made an effort not to meet his gaze.

"Minnowstar's bound to arrange the patrol to go to ThunderClan, soon," the warrior mewed as they walked. "I just hope blood isn't spilled... Cedarpaw, what's wrong?"

The apprentice had stopped walking and had turned around, and was now staring out into the distance, a grim expression on his face. He felt almost as if something, or someone, was watching them.

"...I don't see anything," Briarclaw said. "Or smell anything, easier. I think we're fine. C'mon, let's keep going. We don't want to miss Minnowstar's announcement."

Cedarpaw blinked softly, looking out through the snowy blur until he hesitantly turned and followed after him.

They soon reached camp; most cats were already beginning to gather as they anticipated Minnowstar's announcement. Cedarpaw pricked his ears when he saw Olivepaw sitting with Ratpaw and Frostpaw. Littlepaw and Brokenpaw had joined them, as well. They were clearly trying to fit in with the older apprentices. Snowcloud wasn't with them. She was, instead, sitting with Furzetail and Icewhisker further away, a grimace on her face, which used to be unusual for her.

Cedarpaw padded over to the other apprentices; Olivepaw pricked her ears and lifted her head, a small smile appearing on her face as he sat down beside her.

"Hey," she murmured. "Everyone's getting ready for Minnowstar to speak. You're just in time." Cedarpaw forced a tiny smile and nodded slightly.

Olivepaw was about to continue speaking, but her mouth closed and she blinked as she looked behind Cedarpaw. The tom, in confusion, turned around to see, much to his surprise, his mother.

Swallowflight stood about a foxlength away from him, her tortoiseshell coat not as pretty and neatly kept as it used to be. Her tail and shoulders were drooping, and her usually bright green eyes were dull. Cedarpaw had hardly even interacted with his mother since Reedfur had died, and he thought that they never would.

"Can I talk to you?" she rasped, looking as if she were in pain. Her eyes glittered with sorrow, and she seemed so pitiful that it looked as if she could just collapse at any moment.

Cedarpaw's whiskers twitched, wanting to turn away and for some reason feeling no desire to even _look_ at his mother. But Olivepaw was watching. So he slowly got to his paws, ears flattened as he and Swallowflight took a few steps away from the crowd and headed towards the edge of the camp.

"...I'm sorry," Swallowflight sighed once they were out of earshot. She looked at him pleadingly, shaking her head softly. "I haven't even said a word to you since Reedfur died. As your mother, I should have been there for you and helped you through it all..." She closed her eyes, her voice scratchy as she whispered, "That doesn't make me a very good mother, does it...?"

Cedarpaw flinched a bit at her words, lowering his gaze. Part of him wanted to speak, but another part- the larger part- knew that if he even opened his mouth, words that weren't meant to be said, weren't meant for her to hear, would pour out, one wrong word after another. She would look at him in horror and would probably wonder what had gone wrong.

...That didn't make him a very good son, did it?

"Cedarpaw, please talk to me," Swallowflight begged desperately. "I'm so sorry that I haven't been the responsible mother I should be. It's just... I had enough grief when those foxes killed Waterkit, and now your father..."

Cedarpaw stiffened at the mention of his brother, ears flattening against his skull. Conflicting emotions scattered his mind, but he tried to suppress them. After a short moment of silence, he finally lowered his head and turned away, making his way back towards the group and leaving Swallowflight stare after him in despair.

Only a few seconds passed before Minnowstar leaped up onto the Tallstump, eyes narrowed as she lashed her tail. Silence filled the air as gazes lifted expectantly.

"Cats of ShadowClan," she called, light blue eyes ablaze, "Today, I'm going to be taking a patrol to ThunderClan to get more territory. We have had too many deaths this Leafbare, and I don't want this to continue." Cats murmured sadly in agreement, bowing their heads. Cedarpaw watched quietly.

"We will try to negotiate with Bumblestar," she continued. "However, if they aren't willing to come to a compromise, then we must not hesitate in forcibly expanding our land. I am the leader of this Clan, and I care about it more than anything." She paused, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. "The cats who will be coming are Harestep, Weaselfoot, Icewhisker, Furzetail, Briarclaw, Ravenheart, Cinderblaze, Snowcloud, Ratpaw, and Cedarpaw." The tom blinked when he heard his name. "Willowfall, I'd like you to come, too, in case fighting should occur and we need your assistance." The medicine cat shallowly dipped her head.

"The rest of you will stay here and guard the camp in case anything should happen," she mewed, nodding. "Alright. We leave now."

Cats murmured to each other in rapid voices as they gathered towards the entrance. As Cedarpaw got to his paws, Olivepaw looked at him, smiling lightly.

"It sounds like Minnowstar's convinced that you can stay out of the medicine den, now," she mewed quietly. She looked at him strangely and tilted her head, as if she'd ask a question, but she gave a weak laugh and shook her head. "Tell me how it is. And be careful, Cedarpaw."

The tom found that a small smile had appeared on his face, and he nodded. After a second of hesitation, Olivepaw took a step forward, pressing her muzzle to his. He shrank back only due to his surprise, but he blinked softly and pressed his nose to her cheek before turning away and joining with the others.

With one last lash of her tail, Minnowstar began to lead her Clan up the shallow slope and into the woods, snow falling gently, a wind blowing.

They walked mostly in silence, Minnowstar leading a quick pace through the winding trees, Harestep at her side and the others trailing behind her. Cedarpaw remained towards the back; Briarclaw was at his side, who shot him a small smile.

"Don't worry," Briarclaw murmured. "Everything will be fine."

Cedarpaw flicked an ear. He wasn't worried.

Ratpaw walked beside him, a stern expression on his face. He was looking in front of him, frowning, before he shot a glance at Cedarpaw. Cedarpaw looked back at him, saying nothing.

Soon, the scent of ThunderClan wafted past them as they approached the Twoleg path separating the two territories. Minnowstar paused for a moment, glancing around; no one was nearby. They continued on, passing into ThunderClan territory. It seemed colder, for some reason.

Although Cedarpaw wasn't nervous, his pelt prickled with slight unease. It had been a long time since he'd been in ThunderClan territory. Even though it took only a matter of steps to cross from ShadowClan to ThunderClan, it felt like a completely different world.

There were no signs of cats nearby. In fact, the scent was weaker than usual. ThunderClan was so small now that it must not have been able to keep its markers as strong.

He suppressed a shiver. The snow was falling harder, a harsh wind beginning to blow that rocked the leafless branches of half-dead trees. There was an unsettling silence that everyone seemed to notice. No one was speaking. No one dared.

Soon, Minnowstar began to slow down, her eyes narrowing to slits. She didn't need to tell her Clan that they were almost there, because not too far ahead, they could all see the brambles that guarded the stone hollow of ThunderClan's camp.

Cedarpaw listened, but he couldn't hear any ThunderClanners.

Lowering herself to the ground, Minnowstar slowly led the group forward, heading towards the small entrance in the brambles. She paused, looking over her Clan and giving them a small nod. A few nodded back. Everyone was tense; no one spoke. Minnowstar lashed her tail and turned, leading the cats through the entrance and into ThunderClan's camp.

Inside, Cedarpaw paused to look around, and was struck by how few cats were in the camp. He recognized Onespot, who was murmuring something to a white she-cat. Another she-cat, a gray one, was sitting with a smaller gray tom with green eyes; he looked like he was an apprentice. He must have been the only one. Three others were crowded together- two toms and a she-cat. The deputy, Spotfur, was standing at the foot of the Highledge, glancing around warily, black and white fur ruffled. Bumblestar was nowhere to be seen.

One by one, heads were lifted as the ThunderClanners noticed ShadowClan's presence. Their eyes widened, and looks of fear shot across their faces. Onespot got to his feet, a grave frown on his face. Cedarpaw noticed that he and Willowfall shared a quick glance.

"Where is Bumblestar?" demanded Minnowstar, her voice echoing against the stone walls. "I wish to speak to him."

A second later, the light brown tabby appeared from his den at the top of the Highledge, eyes widening when he realized what was going on. He already looked defeated, and Cedarpaw almost felt pity for him.

"Hello, Minnowstar," Bumblestar called out, trying to appear strong and confident, but his voice was shaking, slightly. "What can I do for you today?"

"I'm going to cut straight to the point, Bumblestar," the ShadowClan leader mewed. "We need more land. Yesterday, one of our cats starved to death, and we don't want this to continue."

"So you want some of _our_ land," Bumblestar murmured, ears flattening a bit. His warriors watched quietly, saying nothing. Spotfur trotted up the path to the Highledge and stood beside his leader.

"This is the only way," Minnowstar said. "We can't take land from RiverClan. They're too big. Our only option was to come to you."

"And what will happen to us if you take our land, do you think?" Spotfur suddenly spoke out. "The name 'WindClan' has already been destroyed. We don't want to upset StarClan even more, and I don't believe that you want to, either."

"If we don't do something, then _we'll_ die out," Minnowstar growled. "I apologize, Spotfur, but if you don't agree to give us land, then we'll have to take it from you. Our Clan is bigger and stronger, and if you don't do as I ask, then we are capable of completely wiping out ThunderClan."

A few ShadowClan cats looked surprised at their leader's words, but they didn't speak. Cedarpaw swallowed, feeling the tenseness in the air.

"...No," Bumblestar finally said. "We won't let you."

A few ThunderClanners looked up at their leader in surprise, and even Spotfur looked at his leader, eyes narrowed slightly. He muttered a few words to Bumblestar that Cedarpaw didn't hear.

"I don't care," Bumblestar growled lowly; Cedarpaw pricked his ears. "I want to prove to these cats that I will stand and fight."

"If we fight, we'll all die," hissed Spotfur. "Face it, Bumblestar. They'll destroy us."

Bumblestar was silent for a few moments before he finally lifted his head, looking straight at Minnowstar.

"If you want our land, then you'll have to fight us for it."

ThunderClan cats were shocked, but Minnowstar slowly nodded her head.

"Very well," she sighed. "I was hoping to solve this peacefully, but if this is what you wish..." Lifting her head and puffing out her chest, she called, "ShadowClan, attack!"

Her cats began racing down the slippery rocks, prepared to fight. The ThunderClan cats hesitantly faced them, though a look of utter defeat was already on their faces.

Cedarpaw, feeling adrenaline course through his veins, leaped at a young tom, shoving him to the hard, snowy ground. His gray fur was ruffled, and he looked up at Cedarpaw with wide green eyes. The ShadowClan apprentice lifted his paw without hesitation, slashing it across the other apprentice's face and sending drops of red blood splattering onto the snow.

The ThunderClanner yelled out, kicking out his back legs and managing to shove Cedarpaw off. The tom rolled onto his back and got to his paws before Cedarpaw could strike, and he lifted a paw and struck a blow. However, Cedarpaw dodged it just in time, and quickly leaped at him again, knocking him back onto the ground and putting a paw at his throat.

With the other paw, Cedarpaw raked his claws down the tom's flank, and he yowled in pain. He did it again, this time on his stomach. The ThunderClan tom's eyes shot wide open, a strained gasp escaping his lips.

"Stop," he breathed. "You win. Please-" But Cedarpaw slashed him again across the face, feeling as if he were in a trance. It was odd; he'd begun to realize that he always felt like this when he was fighting. As if he were in a dream, that none of it was real.

As the gray tom lay spluttering on the ground and Cedarpaw brought his paw up again, he suddenly heard a small, quiet voice whisper, "Cedarpaw..."

The tom blinked, ears pricked in confusion. That sounded like...

Hesitantly, Cedarpaw turned his head, letting out a weak gasp at what he say.

A foxlength away stood a small tom-kit with a gray tabby pelt and leaf-green eyes. He blinked softly, his tail wrapped around his legs as he looked at Cedarpaw. His fur seemed to glow slightly, and an air of pure innocence surrounded him as he tilted his head.

"Stop," the murmured. "You don't need to keep fighting him. Please stop."

Cedarpaw stared at the kit in awe, his legs beginning to shake, mouth open. His throat felt dry and he was unable to swallow, his fur sticking straight up as he suddenly felt overcome with intense emotion. He couldn't even move.

_Waterkit..._

Waterkit smiled slightly as Cedarpaw recognized his dead brother.

"It's good to see you, Cedarpaw," he mewed quietly. "I wish I was there with you now..."

Cedarpaw didn't know what to do or what to say. He just stood there, staring in disbelief. He hadn't seen his brother in eight moons, and it was too much for him.

"I know you're surprised to see me," Waterkit murmured, looking down. "I just wanted to tell you... thank you. For what you did." He lifted his head, a sad little smile on his tiny features. "I have to go, now," he said with a frown. "Just be careful, Cedarpaw. Remember who you are. And remember me, too."

Cedarpaw opened his mouth, managing to squeak out the word, "I..." But it was too late. Waterkit had vanished just as quickly as he'd appeared.

The ThunderClan tom, who was still under Cedarpaw's grip, looked up at him in confusion. Cedarpaw slowly got off of him, letting him up, but he was still staring at where his brother had disappeared. His legs were shaking, and he felt as if he would collapse at any minute. All the memories he had of his brother came rushing back to him, and it was too much to bear.

Suddenly, Bumblestar's voice called out, "Stop!"

Cats raised their heads; ShadowClan cats had barely any scratches on them, while a couple of ThunderClan warriors had received somewhat serious wounds that Onespot was now quickly looking over.

"Stop this fighting," Bumblestar called. "Please."

"So then you'll give us territory?" Minnowstar challenged, lifting her head and standing tall.

Bumblestar frowned and closed his eyes for a moment before finally muttering, "...We want to join you."

There was a shocked air in the hollow; even the ThunderClanners seemed shocked. Cedarpaw could barely hear what was going on.

"...Join us?" echoed Minnowstar. "Like WindClan did with RiverClan?"

"Face it, Minnowstar," Bumbleclaw breathed. "If we don't join together, then RiverClan will wipe us _both_ out. If we don't cooperate, we don't stand a _chance_ against Blossomstar."

"You do realize that you would be giving up your title as leader," Minnowstar said. "And that the same goes for Spotfur."

The ThunderClan deputy limped over to Bumblestar; he had a wound on his leg, but he still looked confident. The two talked it over for a few moments before Bumblestar lifted his head.

"Very well," he murmured. "We've decided that this is the only way to want to join with you and share both territories."

"Remember that you and your Clan will now be under _my_ rule," Minnowstar meowed, "and that the name 'ThunderClan' will be gone. There will be only two Clans- RiverClan and ShadowClan. Do you agree to this?"

Bumblestar let out a long sigh. It clearly wasn't easy for him.

"Yes," he murmured. "I do." No other cats were speaking.

"Very well," Minnowstar called out. She made her way over to the side of the hollow where the entrance was and trotted up the slope. Looking out over the crowd, she called, "From this moment on, until circumstances allow it to change, every ThunderClan cat here will now be under my rule. Bumblestar will give up his position as leader and return to his warrior name, Bumbleclaw. Spotfur will return to his position as warrior. We will continue to live at ShadowClan's camp and will make use of both territories." ShadowClan cats were watching quietly; they were clearly shocked, but they said nothing.

"Let's return to ShadowClan camp," she murmured. "Every wounded cat will receive aid once we're there. ShadowClan, move out."

No one dared speak as the two Clans, now one, made their way through the snowy trees and back to camp. The ThunderClanners looked at each other in a way that suggested that they knew this would happen. They didn't protest or complain.

Bumblestar- or Bumble_claw_- walked in the back of the crowd beside Spotfur, who nodded to him. Cedarpaw walked alongside Ratpaw, neither of them speaking. Cedarpaw knew that this must have been a difficult decision for Bumbleclaw, but otherwise, they would have been in grave danger.

But the thing that occupied the apprentice's mind the most continued to be his brother. He was in a state of shock, and he tried to remember if it had really happened. Maybe not. Maybe he was just going crazy. A few cats already seemed to think he was.

When the cats finally returned to their camp, Cedarpaw pricked his ears; there was a quiet uneasiness in the air. The few cats that had been left behind raised their heads in confusion when they saw that ThunderClan had joined them. But something else was going on, Cedarpaw could feel it.

"What's going on?" demanded Minnowstar as Darkstorm and Bluepelt ran forward, pelts prickled.

"They have Olivepaw," Darkstorm breathed, and Cedarpaw's tail lifted in alarm when he heard his friend's name.

"What are you talking about?" the ShadowClan leader hissed, eyes narrowed. "Who?"

"A RiverClan patrol attacked while you were out," he breathed. Cedarpaw blinked, remembering when he'd thought someone had been following him and Briarclaw. Had it been...?"

"They took Olivepaw," Darkstorm continued breathlessly. "They took her, and they said that if you don't surrender to them by sunhigh tomorrow, then they'll kill her."

**Yeah, I know parts moved sort of fast, sorry xP And wait, did Cedarpaw just... speak? He only said one word, but still. Lolol.**

**Oh, also, I'll probably put updated allegiances for the next chapter. I know it get can confusing with so many cats xP**

**Thanks to all my lovely reviewers, I love you all so much. :)**

**TNT,**

**Pearly!**


	21. Chapter 20: Prisoner

**Has it really been almost a month since my last update? Ugh. Sorry, guys. The last couple weeks of school have been so busy. I'll be better now.**

**Recap: Willowfall lets Cedarpaw go back to his training. He later talks to his mother, who apologizes for not being there for him during Reedfur's death, but Cedarpaw has nothing to say to her. Most of the Clan goes to ThunderClan to get more territory. Bumblestar refuses to give them land, so a fight breaks out. Cedarpaw fights a young tom, nearly killing him before someone tells him to stop. It's the ghost of his brother, Waterkit, who tells Cedarpaw thanks. Cedarpaw is overcome by emotion and tries to speak. Then, the fight ends and Bumblestar surrenders, and Minnowstar agrees to join with ThunderClan as one. They go back and learn that Olivepaw's been taken by RiverClan and will be killed if Minnowstar doesn't surrender. **

Chapter 20

_Prisoner_

[Olivepaw]

_One hour earlier_

"...You don't need to worry," a voice suddenly mewed, jostling Olivepaw from her thoughts. She flinched and looked over to see Frostpaw gazing at her with a small frown, blue eyes blinking softly. "Everyone will be fine. It probably won't even resort to fighting, but if it does, you know that we're stronger."

Olivepaw sighed, nodding. She was sitting at the edge of camp as the snow fell gently. The patrol had just left for ThunderClan, leaving her and just a few others behind. _Cedarpaw is on that patrol,_ she kept telling herself, and she wondered why she did. She tried to convince herself that she didn't need to worry about him anymore, that he was back to his training and would be a warrior soon, that everything was back to normal again. But she knew that it wouldn't be. If anything, things only seemed to be getting worse, and she didn't know why. And that scared her.

Frostpaw sat down beside her, looking out into the distance. They watched as Littlepaw and Brokenpaw talked with each other, heads low and ears flattened. The two brothers had spent nearly every moment together since Icepaw had died the night before. Several foxlengths away, sitting by herself, was their mother, Bluepelt, whose eyes were half-closed, tail twitching.

Olivepaw glanced at the other she-cat. "Are you alright?"

The medicine cat flicked an ear, letting out a brief sigh.

"...Yeah."

Olivepaw frowned. "You know, what happened to Icepaw isn't-"

"Olivepaw," Frostpaw interrupted, sending her a glance. Olivepaw's whiskers twitched, and she said nothing more of the matter.

"So I guess Willowfall decided to let Cedarpaw out of the medicine den?" muttered Olivepaw, her tail flicking. Frostpaw nodded.

"Yeah. I talked to her about it, and even though she was kind of hesitant, she said that he could start slow." Frostpaw glanced at her. "You're always with him. Do you know what exactly's going on with him?"

Olivepaw stiffened, and a moment passed before she finally murmured, "...No. He won't tell me. He hasn't spoken a word since Reedfur died."

"Maybe it just has to do with that," Frostpaw said quietly. "His father, that is."

Olivepaw said nothing. She knew that it was something more.

"Say, you don't... like him, do you?" Frostpaw suddenly asked. Olivepaw flinched, looking at her with surprise.

"What..."

"Sorry," Frostpaw murmured. "It's just, you're always at his side. And you guys have always been close..." She let out a small smile, which was probably the first time she'd smiled since Icepaw's death. "I'm sorry. It's really none of my business."

Olivepaw found that she was smiling, too, and she let out a small laugh.

"No. It's alright. I..." She broke off and blinked a few times, thinking about it. Finally, she said, "...Right now, I think he has too many personal issues to deal with."

"You didn't answer my question," Frostpaw mewed, looking at her as a sly grin appeared on her face.

Olivepaw laughed weakly, shaking her head slightly and looking up at the dark sky.

"...Hey, I have another question," Frostpaw said quietly.

"Yeah?"

Frostpaw shifted uncomfortably. "You're Ratpaw's sister. I was just... wondering if he liked anyone."

Olivepaw blinked in surprise, turning to look at the other she-cat. "Do _you_ like him?"

Frostpaw laughed quickly, shaking her head. "No, it's nothing like that. I was just talking to him yesterday and he told me that he was having second thoughts about the she-cat he liked. I was afraid to ask who it was. I... I thought that maybe it was Snowcloud."

"Snowcloud?" Olivepaw echoed with surprise, raising an eyebrow. "Frostpaw, my brother can be a mystery sometimes, even to me. But if he liked Snowcloud, I'd know."

Frostpaw gave a rigid, unsure nod. Olivepaw looked at her before saying, "...But you know, I was talking to him yesterday, too, right before the ceremony." She paused, watching her carefully. "He mentioned you."

The medicine cat apprentice pricked her ears.

"What did he say...?"

Olivepaw smiled slightly. "He said how much you've changed since you became a medicine cat apprentice, and I agree with him. No offense, but you used to be pretty annoying."

Frostpaw chuckled, nodding. "I know. Sorry for that. I guess I'm just beginning to learn who I really am, is all... And I know that I'm not like Snowcloud." She frowned as she said this, her eyes suddenly growing dark. Olivepaw looked at her curiously, but said nothing more.

A moment later, the she-cat blinked a few times, ears pricking as she glanced around.

"What's wrong?" mewed Frostpaw.

Olivepaw slowly got to her paws, tail twitching. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"In the distance," she murmured, her heart beginning to beat faster for some reason. "It sounds like a cat. No, not just one. It... It sounds like a whole _Clan."_

Frostpaw tilted her head. "Maybe they're back already?"

"No, they just left," Olivepaw muttered. "They couldn't have even made it to ThunderClan yet."

The she-cat's fur prickled with unease as she glanced around the clearing. Redwhisker was pacing back and forth. Darkstorm was in the nursery with Lightstream and Bramblestripe, and Silvermist and Clawstrike were in the elders' den like usual. Swallowflight was sitting at the edge of the camp by herself as Littlepaw and Brokenpaw whispered to each other.

Redwhisker halted, lifting his head as his fur began to rise. Olivepaw could feel some sort of tension in the air, and she knew she wasn't the only one.

Glancing at Frostpaw, she quickly made her way over to where Redwhisker stood.

"Someone's coming," the warrior murmured, blue eyes narrowing. A second later, his eyes widened and he rasped, "RiverClan."

Everyone in the clearing seemed to hear him, because they at once lifted their heads, ears pricked and tails lifted in alarm as their eyes darted to where the noise was coming from.

A few seconds later, shapes of cats started to appear from the snowy trees, and a moment passed before the familiar mismatching eyes of Blossomstar appeared and glinted in the bright sunlight.

Cats appeared from behind her as they lined up at the top of the slope; Olivepaw recognized Blacktail, who stood beside his leader, face hard. There were other cats she'd seen before, too, but among the entire group, she noticed that none had been from WindClan or ThunderClan.

"Blossomstar," growled Redwhisker, standing tall, eyes narrowed. Olivepaw glanced at him uneasily; she could tell that he was nervous. Frostpaw ran up to Olivepaw, fur fluffed with alarm. Bluepelt stood in front of Littlepaw and Brokenpaw, lips pulled back. The elders popped their heads out of their den, and Darkstorm appeared from the nursery, eyes narrowed as he protected Lightstream and Bramblestripe and the kits.

"Ah, Redwhisker, isn't it?" Blossomstar purred, white fur blending in quite nicely with the snowfall. "How nice to see you. It looks like Minnowstar and Harestep have left you in charge while they're gone, huh?"

Redwhisker pulled his lips back. "What do you want, Blossomstar?"

Blossomstar smiled softly, tilting her head a bit. "You can't guess already? We want more territory, Redwhisker. Our Clan is growing to be bigger than ever. We have more mouths to feed than you."

"We can't give you any," Redwhisker muttered, though the anxiety was clear in his eyes. "We need it for ourselves."

Blossomstar blinked softly, her blue and yellow eyes making Olivepaw shiver.

"I hope you realize what sort of situation you're in right now," she mewed, looking incredibly calm. She smiled almost sadly. "Look around you. Most of your Clan is off visiting ThunderClan. You won't be able to defend yourselves. Look at the odds, Redwhisker. RiverClan is capable of killing every cat in this clearing."

"How dare you?" Redwhisker hissed, furious. "Have you no longer any loyalty towards StarClan? Think of everything you've done that has gone against their code. Because of you, there are no longer four Clans. And now, you're threatening to murder us if we don't obey you?"

Blossomstar closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a long, tired sigh. When she opened them, her gaze drifted to Frostpaw, who stood beside Olivepaw. "You," Blossomstar said. "Come here."

The medicine cat apprentice flattened her ears in confusion, glancing at Olivepaw and Redwhisker.

"Don't do it, Frostpaw," growled Redwhisker. "It's some sort of trick."

"I said come here," said Blossomstar louder, her voice now near a growl. "If you don't, then I will command my Clan to attack. And I can ensure you that the outcome for you will be... dire."

"Frostpaw, don't," muttered Redwhisker. "She's lying."

Frostpaw frowned as she looked at him, but then shook her head. "It's a risk that I don't want to take," the white cat murmured. "If I don't do as she says, then cats could wind up dead because of me. I... I don't want that to happen. Not again."

Olivepaw pricked her ears, looking at the other apprentice. "Frostpaw-"

But it was too late. Frostpaw slowly began to take a step forward, and then another, and another as she approached Blossomstar and her Clan at the opposite side of the camp. There was a tense stillness in the air; it seemed like it was taking hours for her to get there. Olivepaw watched, not moving a muscle. All eyes were on Frostpaw.

The white she-cat slowly climbed the slope and stopped when she was less than a foxlength away from the RiverClan leader. She looked up at her, whiskers twitching. Olivepaw could tell that she was trying not to show how scared she was.

Blossomstar looked at her for a moment before lifting her head, looking back at Redwhisker. "We are taking this cat back to camp with us. We are giving you a second chance, Redwhisker, but this time, we're serious. Inform Minnowstar that if she does not surrender to us by sunhigh tomorrow, then this cat will be killed."

Olivepaw's eyes widened in horror as she looked desperately at Redwhisker, who was frowning, eyes narrowed but still glittering with worry.

Blossomstar, obviously pleased with herself, gave the warrior a grin. "I hope that Minnowstar will consider my offer. Your obedience for this cat's life. The decision is yours."

The leader then lashed her tail, turning to leave as her Clan gathered around her. Frostpaw hung her head low as she was pushed into the crowd as they began to leave.

Olivepaw shook her head softly, in shock. Before she could even think, she yelled out, "Blossomstar, _stop!"_

The Clan paused and looked over their shoulders at whoever had just spoken out against their leader. Blossomstar narrowed her eyes slightly as she took a step back towards the slope.

"What do you want, kit?" she demanded. "You can't do anything to stop me."

"Don't take Frostpaw," Olivepaw breathed, finding that words were just falling out of her mouth without her entire permission. "Take me instead."

Frostpaw looked at her with wide eyes, and Redwhisker hissed, "Olivepaw, what are you doing?" But she ignored him. She stared at Blossomstar, eyes narrowed, limbs rigid.

Blossomstar watched, a small smile appearing on her face. She was clearly intrigued.

"I remember you," Blossomstar mewed. "You were the one from our last battle." Olivepaw flicked an ear, the memory of being shoved into the snow by Blossomstar flashing before her eyes. She swallowed, saying nothing.

The RiverClan leader chuckled softly, shaking her head. "I suppose I don't see why not. It doesn't matter to me which cat we'll have to kill when Minnowstar decides that the life of one apprentice is not worth risking her entire Clan for."

Olivepaw flicked an ear, saying nothing. Frostpaw was trying to catch her gaze, but Olivepaw wouldn't let her. Without taking her eyes off of Blossomstar, she began walking forward and up the slope until the RiverClan leader towered over her.

"I'm going," Olivepaw said, making an effort not to let her voice waver. She finally let herself look at Frostpaw, whose ears were flattened. "Frostpaw, it's more important that you're here for the Clan in case anything happens to Willowfall. Please don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Frostpaw stared at her desperately. "But..."

"Enough," Blossomstar mewed. "We've spent long enough in this dull place. We're leaving."

A second later, Olivepaw felt as someone gave her a rough shove, and the Clan began to walk back through the trees, away from camp. Olivepaw tried glancing over her shoulder, but by then, cats were all around her, and everything was a blur.

_Present time_

"...You can't go in there."

Olivepaw lifted her head, hearing a voice from outside. She shivered, glancing around warily, still trying to get used to the strange new scents and sights. She was in the back of the medicine den, whose walls were made of thorns. She could scent some berries and herbs, but they seemed stale, as if they had gone bad. She was alone, but there was a warrior at the front of the den who was keeping guard to make sure she wouldn't escape. It was Thornfang, the orange and black tom she'd seen on the patrol during which Cedarpaw had almost killed Sunnyheart.

It seemed as if he was talking to someone. Olivepaw squinted her eyes, trying to see, but the fading daylight and heavy clouds made it hard. She pricked her ears.

"...I just thought she'd maybe want some company-"

"Forget it. I'm not letting some ThunderClan apprentice take one step in this den."

Olivepaw blinked in wonder.

"What do you think I'm going to do, help her escape?" she heard the voice say. It sounded familiar. "I just want to talk to her is all. I don't see what's wrong with that."

There was a pause before Thornfang finally let out a long sigh.

"Fine. Five minutes. Get in."

There was the sound of scampering paws and then Olivepaw raised her head, watching as a cat appeared at the entrance. It was a small ginger she-cat, green eyes glittering with concern as she took a few steps towards Olivepaw and sat down about a foxlength away from her.

Olivepaw looked at her, whiskers twitching. She'd seen this cat before. It was the cat who had announced at the Gathering that she was going to RiverClan with her brother.

"Hey, Olivepaw," the she-cat mewed slightly awkwardly, wrapping her tail around her legs as she looked at the prisoner with a frown.

Olivepaw looked at her. "You're..."

"Russetpaw."

"Right," the ShadowClanner muttered, flicking an ear. "Russetpaw."

There was silence in the air before Russetpaw sighed. "Look, I know you probably don't want to have anything to do with me, but I thought maybe you'd like some company-"

"I don't need your company," Olivepaw muttered, voice near a growl. "I'd rather not talk to someone from the Clan who's keeping me held captive."

Russetpaw blinked a few times, as if that hadn't been the reaction she'd expected.

"I just-"

"Look, Russetpaw," sighed Olivepaw. "I just want to be left alone until either Minnowstar comes or I die. And chances are that she's not going to sacrifice her Clan for me... Not again."

Russetpaw lowered her voice. "I... heard about what happened when RiverClan attacked. Blossomstar threatened to kill you."

Olivepaw blinked in surprise, looking at her curiously.

"How did you know about that?"

She thought she saw Russetpaw flinch.

"I-I heard about it at the Gathering."

"From who?"

"Uh, from... From Ratpaw."

Olivepaw narrowed her eyes slowly, growing suspicious. "You know my brother?"

"We've met a couple times at Gatherings," Russetpaw murmured, but judging from the way she was staring at her paws, ears flattened, Olivepaw was sure that she wasn't telling the whole truth.

"That's not exactly something he would tell someone who's practically a stranger."

Russetpaw sighed, shaking her head. "Olivepaw, I'm trying to be nice, here."

"I never asked you to be nice," Olivepaw growled. "It won't make up for the fact that I'm stuck here and will probably _die_ because of your Clan."

Russetpaw narrowed her eyes. "I heard that you volunteered to take another cat's place. If that's true, then you shouldn't be complaining. You chose to be here."

Olivepaw looked at her, a bit surprised by her sudden change of attitude. Finally, she turned her gaze away and muttered, "Frostpaw is more important to the Clan than me. She's the medicine cat apprentice. The Clan would be fine without me."

Russetpaw let out another sigh. It seemed it was all she did. "That's not true," she said quietly. "A lot of cats care about you."

Olivepaw didn't reply. She was looking out into RiverClan's camp. Somewhere behind the gray clouds, the sun was slowly making its way down towards the horizon.

"We'll see about that," Olivepaw murmured softly. "We'll see about that."


	22. Chapter 21: Mission to RiverClan

**Hola!**

**Recap: An hour earlier, Olivepaw and Frostpaw talk about Cedarpaw and Ratpaw after the ShadowClan patrol leaves for ThunderClan. But soon, a RiverClan patrol appears, announcing that they're taking Frostpaw back to camp with them, and that if Minnowstar doesn't surrender by sunhigh the next day, Frostpaw will die. Olivepaw volunteers to take her place. In present time, Olivepaw talks to Rusestpaw, who's trying to make her feel better. Olivepaw wonders if anyone cares enough about her to try and save her.**

**Thanks so much to everyone who's reviewed :) heartheart. And Jayfeather4ever, your comment made me laugh because that was just what I was thinking when I wrote that!**

**Love y'all.**

Chapter 21

_Mission to RiverClan_

[Ratpaw]

Ratpaw clenched his eyes shut, trying to clear his head. Voices were everywhere; everyone was panicking. He heard Minnowstar trying to yell over the crowd as she demanded what exactly had happened. A few cats frantically talked to each other, eyes wide.

_ "What?"_

"Olivepaw was _taken?"_

"What are we going to _do?"_

Ratpaw flattened his ears, glancing around. The small group of ThunderClan cats stood together, not speaking.

He took a step back, shaking his head softly. Everything around him was a blur, and he could hear the blood pounding in his ears. He blinked and looked over; Frostpaw was glancing at him. Flattening his ears, he hurriedly walked over to her.

"Frostpaw, what happened?" he hissed in a low voice, eyes wide. "What happened...?"

Frostpaw frowned, lowering her head, eyes narrowed slightly. "RiverClan came while you were gone," she murmured. "Blossomstar... She took Olivepaw. She said that if Minnowstar doesn't surrender by sunhigh tomorrow, then..." She trailed off, looking up desperately at Ratpaw. He stared back at her.

Before he could speak, a loud voice called out, "Attention, ShadowClan! Attention!"

Heads were raised towards the top of the Tallstump, where Minnowstar was standing, tail lashing rapidly, blue eyes narrowed to slits. The crowd quieted down a bit, but they still shuffled restlessly.

Minnowstar swept her icy gaze over the Clan. "I understand that a lot is going on," she meowed. "But we all need to remain calm. We have a few things to talk about. First, for those who didn't join us on the patrol, Bumblestar has agreed to join his Clan with ours, under my rule." The cats who hadn't known this mewed with surprise, and everyone glanced over to where the ThunderClan cats stood huddled together. "Doing this is our best chance of surviving this leafbare," she continued. "Bumblestar has given up his warrior name and shall now be called Bumbleclaw. Spotfur will become a warrior of normal rank, and Onespot will join Willowfall in the medicine den." Onespot bowed his head, though he looked shaken and tired.

"ShadowClan territory and WindClan territory is now open to everyone here," Minnowstar said, "but we must be careful with the borders. Blossomstar could be planning to expand her territory even further. And speaking of which..." She paused, whiskers twitching, apparently deciding how to put this. "...Olivepaw has been captured by RiverClan, as many of you know. Do not fret over this. She will be fine." But Ratpaw had the strangest feeling that Minnowstar wasn't being completely honest, because as she said this, she was looking away.

Cats began to chatter again. Willowfall and Frostpaw were showing Onespot to the medicine den. Cinderblaze, Furzetail and Icewhisker were showing the warriors around. Other than Bumbleclaw and Spotfur, there were only four. Ratpaw spotted two other cats; one was a gray she-cat who looked pregnant. Another- a tom, also gray- looked about his age. Ratpaw narrowed his eyes slightly, wondering if this was Grasspaw, the tom that Russetpaw had told him about. Snowcloud quickly bounded over to the two and began to talk nonstop, and they looked at her with an expression oddly similar to horror.

Ratpaw shook his head, digging his claws into the snow. How could they all be acting so calm when his sister was probably being tortured by Blossomstar? He narrowed his eyes, quickly glancing around. He had to find her. He had to find her and rescue her before it was too late. Because what if Minnowstar didn't want to put her whole Clan in danger for Olivepaw? Ratpaw didn't want to take that risk. He knew that he was probably crazy, considering he had _no_ idea how he could possibly rescue his sister, but he didn't care. He swallowed, lowering himself to the ground and slowly making his way towards the slope. He had to do this.

He glanced over his shoulder through the falling snow. Everyone seemed preoccupied with the ThunderClanners to really notice him. Swallowing, he turned and darted up the slope and into the woods before he could convince himself not to.

He began running through the trees, panting, heart drumming against his chest. He felt that with every stride, he was getting no further.

What was he hoping to do? Wasn't he just putting himself in danger, too? This couldn't be helping anyone... He irritably pushed away these thoughts, knowing that Olivepaw would have done the same if it had been him in RiverClan right now.

He stopped in his tracks, panting, heart racing. He looked around, trying to decide where to go. He hadn't been paying much attention.

Flattening his ears, he began to take a step forward, when...

"Ratpaw, wait!"

He flinched, one paw still hanging in the air as he lowered himself to the ground, hesitantly glancing over his shoulder.

He let out a sigh. About a dozen foxlengths away stood Frostpaw, eyes glimmering intensely, a frown on her face as she looked at him. Flattening her ears, she walked towards him, tail flicking.

"What are you doing here, Frostpaw?" he asked quietly, feeling anxious to get to RiverClan.

She blinked slowly. "I could be asking you the same thing. Ratpaw, are you going to RiverClan?"

He stared at her, not sure how to respond.

"Ratpaw, don't," she murmured, looking straight into his eyes. "I know you want to help her, but it's you against the entire Clan. You're only putting yourself in danger..."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Ratpaw shot back. "She's my sister. I can't just sit around and do nothing."

"Well how do you plan to rescue her?" Frostpaw countered.

He looked at her, mouth open slightly. Bitterly, he looked away. "I... haven't quite figured it out, yet." He quickly shook his head, looking at the medicine cat apprentice. "Frostpaw, I know it's dangerous, and I know you're only looking out for me. But I need to do this. I..." He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. "Growing up, me and Olivepaw had to rely on each other. Bramblestripe did what she could, but without my father there..." He shook his head, looking at her. "Please understand, Frostpaw. I love Olivepaw, and she would have done the same for me."

There was a long silence between them. All around them, wind was rustling the branches of dead trees. A crow cried out.

"I see I can't change your mind," sighed Frostpaw. "If you want to go, then go."

Ratpaw smiled slightly. "Thank you, Frostpaw."

"But I'm coming with you."

The tom stared at her, wide-eyed. "Frostpaw, I don't-"

"...Want to put me in danger," the she-cat finished with a flick of her tail. "Ratpaw, I... If it hadn't been for Olivepaw, I'd be the one in RiverClan right now."

Ratpaw blinked, not understanding. Frostpaw sighed.

"Blossomstar had chosen me to take back to camp. Just as we were leaving, Olivepaw told her that she wanted to take my place. I didn't want her to, but it was too late. They were gone. She... saved me."

Ratpaw looked at her. He hadn't heard about this.

"...Alright," he murmured after a few moments. "We'll both go. And two is better than one, anyway, right?" He smiled slightly at her. She smiled back.

"Yeah."

The two continued on together, side by side. For awhile, they didn't speak. The snow continued to fall around them, eventually erasing their pawprints. Frostpaw kept sending him unsure glances, as if there was something she wanted to say. Swallowing, she smiled slightly and mewed, "So, who exactly _is_ that she-cat you like...?"

Ratpaw flinched slightly, sending her a glance. He wondered why he had told her in the first place. He hadn't expected her to give it much thought, but apparently she had. She knew that she was just trying to be friendly and break the silence, but now Ratpaw's mind rushed as he tried to think of what to say.

"Uh..."

Frostpaw smiled at him, though it seemed forced. "Let me guess. Uh... Snowcloud?"

He blinked a few times, swallowing. Frostpaw's smile faded, but she quickly revived it.

"I'm right, aren't I?" she mewed, giving him a nudge.

"Uh... Yeah," he lied. "You are." He flattened his ears, guilt burning through him like a fire. He hadn't wanted to lie to her, but what else could he have done? The alternative was her finding out the truth, that he was secretly meeting a ThunderClan cat (well, now she was a RiverClan cat), which seemed worse.

Frostpaw stopped in her tracks, and it took Ratpaw a few seconds to notice. He paused, looking back at her. She had a strange expression on her face, the emotion in her blue eyes impossible to read.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly, fur prickling nervously.

"I... was talking to Olivepaw this morning," she mewed. "We were just gossiping. She... said that if you liked Snowcloud, then she would know." Frostpaw shook her head slightly, smiling a bit. Ratpaw stared at her. He had a feeling that she could see straight through his lie, but instead of calling him out on it, she simply said, "I guess even Olivepaw has some things to learn about you."

"Y-Yeah," Ratpaw stumbled, ears flattened. "Listen, Frostpaw, can you... Can you keep this between us?"

"Of course," the she-cat mewed, tail flicking as she forced another smile. "But what if Snowcloud likes you back?"

Ratpaw felt his heart sink. "Does she...?"

"StarClan knows," Frostpaw muttered as she continued walking alongside him. "You talk to her more than I do. She still hasn't said a word to me ever since I tried asking her what was wrong."

He glanced at her, frowning when he saw that she was looking gloomily at the ground.

"What exactly did she say to you...?"

"She..." Frostpaw trailed off and blinked a few times, as if just remembering something. "Well, the thing is, I asked her what I did wrong, and she said nothing... _yet."_

"Yet?" Ratpaw echoed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know," the she-cat sighed. "After that, she stormed out. Now she keeps sending me dirty looks as if I've _murdered_ someone or something."

Ratpaw felt his fur rise a bit, her words suddenly bringing back the memory of his encounter with Willowfall, when she told him that she had killed Graystar all those moons ago. He glanced warily at Frostpaw. Part of him had an overwhelming desire to tell her. Willowfall was her mentor, after all; didn't she have the right to know?

But then, Willowfall's words echoed in his mind. _"I won't speak to anyone of you and the ThunderClan she-cat. In return, I expect that you won't tell anyone anything I just told you..."_ He suddenly felt as if all his secrets were crushing him. The truth about Willowfall, his meetings with Russetpaw...

Russetpaw. His eyes suddenly widened slightly. It hadn't occurred to him that he might see her in RiverClan. So why did he feel his heart sink? Didn't he _want_ to see her? He remembered that tom she'd told him about- Grasspaw. He knew that he shouldn't be feeling jealous, but the way her eyes looked when she spoke of him... And the way she'd reacted when he told her about their plan to go to ThunderClan to demand more territory. She'd been _angry._ And he felt a surge of irritation as he thought about this. Didn't she care that his Clan was literally _starving?_ Didn't she care that one cat, an apprentice not much younger than her, had just died from lack of food?

He wondered why he was suddenly thinking about her so negatively. He glanced at Frostpaw, remembering what she'd told him. Getting to know a cat took time. Well, maybe he was finally getting to know her.

"What is it?" Frostpaw mewed, breaking him from his thoughts and not realizing that he was staring at her with a small smile on his face. His ears flattened in embarrassment.

"Nothing."

She looked at him curiously before a small smile crept onto her own face. She turned away, as if shy.

The RiverClan border was right up ahead; they could smell it, knowing that RiverClan had passed through this way with Olivepaw not long ago.

Frostpaw suddenly froze, blue eyes wide. Ratpaw looked at her.

"What's wrong?"

"Someone's up ahead," she murmured.

Ratpaw squinted his eyes; through the snow, he could see a small, light brown shape up ahead.

"They're alone," Frostpaw whispered. "I think we're safe."

The two cautiously crept forward, and when they were closer, they realized who it was.

"Cedarpaw!" cried Frostpaw.

The light brown tom jumped and turned around, tail lifted in alarm.

"What are you doing here, Cedarpaw?" breathed Ratpaw, suddenly realizing that he hadn't seen him since they'd just gotten back from ThunderClan.

Cedarpaw flicked an ear, glancing back and forth between them. He always made Ratpaw feel uneasy, for some reason.

"Are you going to look for Olivepaw?" mewed Frostpaw quietly. Cedarpaw said nothing. That probably meant yes.

"Cedarpaw, go back to camp," Ratpaw murmured. "You shouldn't get involved with this."

Cedarpaw narrowed his eyes slightly, whiskers twitching. He glanced at Frostpaw, who flattened her ears.

"Ratpaw, let him come," she murmured. "He has just as much of a right to go as I do."

The dark gray tom looked at her before glancing uneasily back to Cedarpaw. He and Olivepaw _were_ friends.

"Fine," Ratpaw sighed. "We'll all go. But we have to make sure they don't hear us." He realized that that wouldn't be a problem for Cedarpaw.

The three cats passed the RiverClan border, stepping out into the open. They couldn't see any cats around. Ratpaw flattened his ears, realizing it would have been a much better idea to come here when it was dark. But they couldn't turn back now.

Cedarpaw took up the front, and Ratpaw and Frostpaw walked together a couple of taillengths back.

"He seemed eager to come," Ratpaw muttered to the she-cat beside him. Frostpaw looked at him, as if surprised. Finally, she let out a sigh.

"Ratpaw, he and Olivepaw _like_ each other."

He blinked, mouth open slightly as he stared at her.

"They what?"

"Honestly, Ratpaw, you're Olivepaw's brother," murmured Frostpaw, shaking her head. "How did you not see this? I was talking to Olivepaw about it earlier, and I could just _tell."_

Ratpaw didn't know what to say. He knew that the two had always been friends, but could it really be something more? The way Cedarpaw had been acting lately, Ratpaw couldn't really imagine him loving _anybody_, as harsh as that may have sounded.

They began to stray further away from the shore and further into RiverClan territory. Ratpaw had never gone this far before. It was usually lush with reeds and plants, but the frost and snow had killed them all.

There was a clump of dead trees up ahead, and Ratpaw could hear the trinkling of a stream in his ears. Not too far in front of them was a triangle of land in between two streams, protected by trees and dead plants. This is where RiverClan's camp was.

Ratpaw narrowed his eyes as the three cats lowered themselves to the ground, slowly coming closer. They reached the stream and the tom quickly glanced down, catching a short glimpse of his own reflection before it was blurred away.

"Let's go," he murmured to the others, leading them across the stream and at the very edge of their camp. They hid behind a tree, and Ratpaw thanked StarClan that the wind was going towards them so RiverClan couldn't smell them.

"Do you see her?" whispered Frostpaw, tail twitching in anxiety.

Ratpaw glanced around the trunk, scanning the camp. It was full of other cats, wandering around or chatting or eating. He noticed that the cats who had come from other Clans tended to clump together, away from the RiverClan cats, who kept shooting them disdainful looks.

He pricked his ears when he spotted a thorn bush across the camp, guarded by a stern-looking orange and black tom he recognized as Thornfang. He was sitting rigidly, a scowl on his face as he looked over his shoulder and into the den every now and then.

"I think they're keeping her in that thorn bush," he whispered to Cedarpaw and Frostpaw. "It looks like Thornfang is guarding it."

"How are we going to get there, then?" rasped Frostpaw.

"Let's go around to the other side," Ratpaw murmured. "Maybe there's a back entrance into the den. We can get Olivepaw and sneak out."

Frostpaw nodded. Cedarpaw flicked an ear, turning away and saying nothing.

But they had only taken a few steps when there was a loud _snap._

Ratpaw froze, his heart nearly stopping. He'd stepped on a twig.

At once, the heads of many cats shot up, eyes darting into their direction. They lowered themselves to the ground, praying that they wouldn't see them behind the tree.

But their hopes didn't last long.

"It seems like we have some guests," a voice called out loudly, and chills shot down Ratpaw's spine when he realized it was Blossomstar. "Why don't you come here where we can all see you...?"

Ratpaw and Frostpaw exchanged worried glances. What should they do? Should they make a run for it?

Ratpaw heard a soft chuckle erupt from Blossomstar's throat, a moment later, she said, "Alright, then. Perhaps they need a bit of... persuading." With a lash of her tail and a soft smile, without turning to him, she mewed, "Thornfang, bring the prisoner outside."

Ratpaw's ears pricked, eyes widening slightly as the black and orange tom retreated into the den. A few moments later, a small cat was shoved outside, landing roughly in the snow with a wince.

"Olivepaw!" Frostpaw breathed quietly. Ratpaw said nothing, eyes wide as he watched. He blinked as he spotted Thornfang retreat from the den, followed by... Russetpaw. His heart quickened.

Blossomstar grinned, slowly padding over to the ShadowClan prisoner. She stopped and smiled down at her, yellow and blue eyes shining brightly.

"Poor little ShadowClanner," she cooed, tilting her head almost thoughtfully. "It doesn't look like Minnowstar will be saving you this time."

Ratpaw watched as Olivepaw narrowed her eyes, looking up at Blossomstar with a disdainful look, lips pulled back.

She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, Blossomstar suddenly swatted her across the face. Olivepaw yowled out in surprise as drops of blood splattered onto the snow. Ratpaw's eyes narrowed to slits. Before Cedarpaw or Frostpaw could stop him, he ran out from their hiding place and right into the middle of the camp.

"Stop!" he snarled loudly, but when the cold eyes of dozens of cats turned to him, his ears flattened, feeling anxious. For a moment, everything was quiet, and Ratpaw could only feel the cold chill of the wind and snow falling increasingly harder, blurring his vision.

A second later, he felt Frostpaw and Cedarpaw walk up beside him, saying nothing. The three of them stood facing Blossomstar, and all around them, cats watched with extreme interest to see what would happen next.

The smile on Blossomstar's face grew. "And what do we have here?" she purred, lazily taking a few steps towards them. "Three little apprentices, coming to save their friend...?"

"She's my sister," growled Ratpaw, claws digging into the snow. From the corner of his eye, he could see that Olivepaw was staring at him in disbelief.

Blossomstar's face softened, and for a moment, she actually seemed... _kind. _"How sweet," she said quietly, smiling slightly. "And tell me, how exactly do you plan on escaping with this cat...?"

Ratpaw had no idea. But he couldn't let Blossomstar see that. He glared at her, refusing to break eye contact. More than anything, he wanted to leap forward and swat this cat across the face.

"I suppose we could do with a few more prisoners," Blossomstar mewed thoughtfully. Her deputy, Blacktail, walked over to her side, flicking his tail as he looked at the three apprentices expressionlessly. "We have plenty of room in the den. Perhaps Minnowstar will be more inclined to surrender, now that there's more at stake than the life of one useless she-cat."

"How dare you," growled Ratpaw, and he felt as Frostpaw pressed herself against him, shooting him a warning glance. But Blossomstar didn't seem to hear. Mismatching eyes glimmering brightly and a wide, toothy smile on her face, she flicked her tail, calmly mewing, "...Seize them."

A second later, Ratpaw could hardly tell what was going on. RiverClan cats were running for them, fangs bared, claws lashing out. The ThunderClanners and WindClanners seemed to be watching from afar, eyes wide but saying nothing.

He felt a searing pain course down his side; glancing over, he lashed out a paw at Whiskerfur, who had attacked him, slicing her across the chest. He was readying another blow when he heard a loud hiss right behind him. Whirling around, he saw that a lean ginger she-cat had shoved Cedarpaw to the ground and was now sinking her long claws into his shoulders, snarling in his face. Ratpaw realized that the she-cat was Sunnyheart, the cat that Cedarpaw had almost killed himself.

"See what you did to me?" Sunnyheart was snarling loudly. "See what you did, you filthy apprentice?" Ratpaw leaned his head over to see, and when he did, he let out a small gasp. The warrior was completely covered in scars, especially on her stomach and her face. She was missing fur in a few places, and a patch of skin on her stomach looked red and raw, as if it had gotten infected. He glanced warily at Cedarpaw. Had he really done that? He thought about what Frostpaw had said- that he and Olivepaw liked each other. But how could he trust this sort of tom to be near his sister...?

Haven gotten distracted, he felt as a large cat shoved him to the ground. But before it could pin him down, Ratpaw quickly rolled over onto his back. He knew that exposing his stomach was dangerous, but this was the only way he could get a chance to strike. When he looked up, he saw that it was Blacktail who had attacked him. Ratpaw quickly kicked out his back legs, lashing out a paw as he landed a strike on the bigger cat's face. Blacktail hissed and recoiled, taking a step back and letting Ratpaw get to his feet.

He feverishly glanced around. He could no longer see Frostpaw or Cedarpaw. But then, he saw a flash of ginger to his left; glancing around, he saw Russetpaw, trying to reach him through the crowd. Her green eyes were wide with alarm.

"Ratpaw!" she called. "Ratpaw!"

The tom looked at her, panting, his heart beginning to speed up. The noise of fighting and struggling cats, the noise of Blossomstar laughing softly as she watched, the noise of Olivepaw calling out, trying to reach the crowd so she could help her Clanmates... they were all suddenly blocked out of his ears. He felt a strange sensation come over him, as if time itself was slowing down. His fur prickled as he heard his own panting and beating of his heart in his ears, and before he could even _think_ about what was going on or what he was doing, he found that he was flinging himself towards Russetpaw, their eyes meeting for half a second before he landed on her and shoved her into the snow.

"Ratpaw!" Russetpaw squeaked in shock, struggling beneath him. "What are you-!" In a maddened daze, Ratpaw pinned her down onto her side, leaning down and putting his weight on her, digging his claws into her shoulders so that she couldn't move. She let out a gasp of pain as she stared up at him, eyes round and full of hurt and confusion. "Ratpaw, please," she gasped, voice quivering. "Ratpaw, what are you doing...? It's me, Russetpaw-"

_"Stop!"_ Ratpaw called out loudly, keeping the ginger she-cat pinned firmly to the ground. A few seconds later, cats began to raise their heads, trying to figure out what was going on. Frostpaw and Cedarpaw were staring at her, their eyes wide, but he refused to meet their gazes. He quickly glanced at Olivepaw; she was looking right at him, not daring to move an inch.

"What's this?" growled Blossomstar, her aggressive side having returned to her. "What is the meaning of this? Why are these ShadowClanners not captured yet?"

_"Shut up!"_ yelled Ratpaw, which gave Blossomstar a slightly shocked look. He looked frantically around the crowd, eyes narrowed as he panted. "Nobody move if you want Russetpaw to survive."

He heard Russetpaw let out a weak gasp, but he ignored her, swallowing hard and trying not to let his emotions stop him from going through with this. He spotted Flamepaw, Russetpaw's brother, standing at the edge of the camp. He was glaring at Ratpaw with an intense hatred burning through his eyes, but even he didn't dare take a step forward and risk the death of his sister.

"What do you think you're doing, kit?" Blossomstar growled in a deep voice, looking at Ratpaw through narrowed eyes.

"Release us," Ratpaw breathed, shaking his head as if in disbelief that any of this was actually happening. "Release me, Cedarpaw, Frostpaw and Olivepaw. Let us go back to ShadowClan safely. If you refuse, I swear to StarClan I'll kill this cat." He couldn't bear to look down and see the expression on Russetpaw's face.

The anger seemed to have vanished from Blossomstar, and her familiar grin appeared on her face, though it was closer to a smirk. "Fine," she purred lightly, shrugging. "Go ahead. Kill her."

A few cats gasped and stared at their leader in horror, but Ratpaw realized that the cats who did this had all been from ThunderClan. Most of the RiverClan cats were smirking and snickering to themselves. The WindClan cats remained silent.

Ratpaw narrowed his eyes. "You want her dead? Why...?"

Blossomstar burst out into a surprisingly loud laugh. "Honestly, do you really think I _care_ about this cat? She's a useless _ThunderClan_ cat. RiverClan would be better without her. Honestly, kit, you'd be doing us all a favor if you killed her." She smirked, teeth glinting in the dim light. "So do it, kit. Kill her. I dare you. It makes no difference to me."

Silence. Ratpaw was frozen in shock from Blossomstar's response. He glanced around as every cat watched him, waiting for him to make his decision.

But before he could even have time to think, a loud, familiar voice suddenly called out, _"Stop!"_

Ears pricked and heads turned, and Ratpaw's eyes widened. Minnowstar has appeared from behind a clump of dead trees, Harestep at her side. A second later, the rest of his Clan filed in, eyes narrowed as they looked around the RiverClan camp in disgust. Following them were seven of the nine ThunderClan cats who had just joined them. Onespot and the pregnant queen weren't there, but Ratpaw recognized who he thought was Grasspaw. And beneath him, he thought he felt Russetpaw flinch, confirming his theory.

"Ah, it appears we have some... guests," Blossomstar said with a wide smile. "Welcome, Minnowstar, please come in. One of your apprentices was just threatening one of _mine_ with her life."

Ratpaw flinched, ears flattened. Minnowstar glanced over at him, eyes narrowed to slits. But a second later, she turned back to Blossomstar.

"We're here for my apprentices," she said, her voice hard and icy cold. "Give them back, Blossomstar."

But the white RiverClan leader was watching the ThunderClanners with curiosity. "Well well, Minnowstar. It looks like you convinced whatever's left of ThunderClan to join you. Wanted to feel more in power, is that it?" Minnowstar narrowed her eyes even further, if that was possible. Blossomstar laughed. "Now, now. No need to get so angry. You can have your apprentices back today, Minnowstar."

Minnowstar seemed surprised by this, as did the rest of her Clan.

"You're just giving them back? Without a fight?"

"Don't act so surprised," Blossomstar said with a long, over-exaggerated sigh. A smirk formed across her lips. "I'm letting you off easy today, Minnowstar. You should be grateful. But mark my words, this isn't over yet. Indeed, by the end of Leafbare, you'll have all either joined me... or have died."

Minnowstar pulled her lips back, but she didn't respond to these words. Glancing over the crowd, she called out, "ShadowClan, let's go. Now."

Shakily, Ratpaw stepped off of Russetpaw, letting her up, his ears flattened with shame.

Finally letting himself look at her, he said, "Russetpaw, I..."

"What in StarClan's name was _that?"_ she hissed, eyes narrowed and burning with anger. "You threatened to kill me when I was coming over to try and _help_ you! I thought we liked each other. Do I really mean so little to you?"

"Russetpaw, I panicked," he murmured, looking at her desperately. "I didn't know what to do. I didn't want anything to happen to Olivepaw-"

"Stop," she growled. "You know as well as I do that you didn't do that for Olivepaw. You did that for yourself." She shook her head as Ratpaw stared at her in disbelief. "I can't believe I ever had feelings for you."

"Russetpaw-"

"Don't touch me," she hissed. "And don't ever talk to me again. Whatever we had is _over."_ And without another word, she stalked away, a bit of blood sticking to her fur from where Ratpaw had dug his claws into. He watched as she left, awestruck. A few moments later, he lowered his head, turning and quickly catching up with the rest of the group. He walked with Cedarpaw, Olivepaw, and Frostpaw in silence.

When they got back to their camp, Minnowstar was furious. She had pulled Frostpaw, Cedarpaw, and Ratpaw aside to yell at them. Beside her sat Harestep, Ratpaw's mother Bramblestripe, and Frostpaw's mother, Furzetail. Willowfall was there, as well. Swallowflight was nowhere to be seen.

"How could you be so _stupid?"_ hissed Minnowstar, pacing back and forth. "The three of you, running off by yourselves, straight into RiverClan's clutches! You're lucky you aren't all _dead!"_ Her fur was fluffed up, eyes ablaze. Ratpaw was staring at his paws. He rarely saw his leader this angry. "Thinking you could save Olivepaw... Honestly, you should have left it to me! You only made things worse! Do you realize what your mothers went through when we realized you were gone? We thought for a moment that you had all been abducted, too!"

Ratpaw flattened his ears, glancing over to see that Frostpaw looked as if she wanted to sink into the ground. Cedarpaw looked oddly calm, yet his expression was grave.

"I'm ashamed of you three," said Minnowstar icily. "But I understand that it's been a long day. Get some sleep. I will talk to your mentors about punishments tomorrow." Ratpaw thanked StarClan that their lecture was over.

Just a few minutes later, the sun finally sank and disappeared beneath the horizon, covering the camp in darkness. Ratpaw had sat himself down at the edge of camp, feeling exhausted yet unable to go to sleep. He shivered as the snow fell, watching as the others retreated to their den and showed the ThunderClanners where to sleep.

He heard pawsteps approaching him and glanced wearily over to see Olivepaw.

"Hey," she said softly. He looked at her, smiling slightly.

"Hey, Olivepaw."

She gave a forced smile before she sighed. "Look, I know that Minnowstar chewed you out pretty badly, but... Thanks. For trying to save me. I..." She shook her head, looking at the ground. "I was scared that no one would come. That Minnowstar would just let me die. It... It was so hard..." She glanced up, eyes shimmering as she smiled a genuine smile this time. "Thank you, Ratpaw."

Ratpaw smiled and took a step forward, pressing his muzzle to hers and letting out a rasp purr. "I'm just glad you're safe," he murmured, pulling away and grinning weakly. "You should get some sleep, Olivepaw. I bet you're exhausted."

The she-cat nodded quickly. "I will. You too, Ratpaw."

He waved his tail in goodnight as she padded away, to meet with Cedarpaw. He sighed, sitting back down and wrapping his tail around his legs, watching them vanish into the apprentices' den. But he only had about a minute of solitude, because he heard another pair of pawsteps approaching. This time, it was Frostpaw.

"...Can I sit?" she asked quietly. Ratpaw nodded.

"Of course."

She sat down beside him, letting out a long sigh as she looked around the emptying clearing.

"I though you were very brave today, Ratpaw," she said quietly. "Braver than I was. It really showed how much you care about your sister."

"I'm sorry for dragging you into all that, Frostpaw, I never should have-"

"I wanted to come, remember?" she murmured softly, smiling a little as she looked at him. "Don't blame yourself." Ratpaw looked at her worriedly, but nodded, though not completely reassured.

A few seconds passed before Frostpaw spoke again. "That ginger RiverClan cat... Russetpaw... She's the cat you like, isn't it?"

Ratpaw's ears pricked and he looked at her with alarm, eyes wide.

"W-What..."

"Ratpaw, it's okay," she said quietly. "You can trust me."

The tom looked away, closing his eyes. He let out a long sigh before whispering, "How did you know...?"

A small, almost sad smile fell upon Frostpaw's face. "I could just tell. And I knew you weren't telling the truth when you told me you liked Snowcloud. You're not a very good liar, you know," she added with a light laugh. Ratpaw found that he was smiling a little, but it quickly faded.

"What I did was stupid," he murmured. "I talked to her after. She never wants to see me again. She says that anything we had is over." He sighed. "But I can't blame her. Putting her life at risk like that... I was so stupid."

"The past is the past," Frostpaw mewed softly, nudging him.

Ratpaw smiled slightly and nodded. "Yeah," he whispered. "Yeah, I guess it is."

Frostpaw smiled and looked at her paws before finally getting up. "I'm going to bed. You should too, Ratpaw."

"Yeah, I will soon."

"Alright. Goodnight..."

Ratpaw looked at her, their eyes meeting for a long enough time that he began to grow embarrassed. But he smiled slightly and said, "Goodnight, Frostpaw."

And with that, the medicine cat apprentice turned and began to walk away, but not without another glance over her shoulder at the tom who was staring at her, now hardly noticing the cold.

**lalalalala**

**Review? :)**

**TNT,**

**Pearly**


	23. Chapter 22: Dreams and Strangers

**Hola! Sorry for the delay... AGAIN... I had a bit of writer's block... It's all cured :)**

**Recap: Ratpaw sets off to rescue Olivepaw from RiverClan. Frostpaw tries to stop him, but she ends up going with him. They find Cedarpaw, too, and they all go together. They reach RiverClan, and Blossomstar orders her cats to capture them. A fight breaks out, and in the midst of it, Russetpaw yells out to Ratpaw and runs over to try to help him. But without thinking, Ratpaw pins her down, calling out that if Blossomstar didn't release Olivepaw, he'd kill Russetpaw. Blossomstar tells him to go ahead when Minnowstar and her Clan appears. Blossomstar agrees not to fight today, and Russetpaw, furious with Ratpaw, tells him she doesn't want anything to do with him. They all go home and Minnowstar is furious. Later, Ratpaw and Frostpaw talk about Russetpaw.**

Chapter 22

_Dreams and Strangers_

[Snowcloud]

The white she-cat opened her leaf-green eyes, letting out a huge yawn as she glanced tiredly around. When she saw where she was, a gentle smile came to her face.

She was in a clearing in a forest, long green grass blowing blissfully around her, red poppies spotted with dew. Tall trees reached up towards the white sky, their leafy branches rustling in the breeze. A crow called out somewhere. Snowcloud grinned to herself, eyes glowing. She was alone, but she knew that she wouldn't be for long.

Letting out a long sigh, she lay onto her back, enjoying the warm wind in her fur. She looked up at the sky, tail twitching thoughtfully.

She'd been here several times, now. She knew that she was only dreaming, but it was more than just that. Because here, she could speak to StarClan itself.

It had been several weeks now since she'd first learned about... the prophecy. _"With Leafbare will come the Frost that will kill all." _The first time she'd heard it, she'd hardly believed her ears. She'd been so confused. Frostpaw, her own sister, was going to destroy the Clans? But how, she had thought, she's only a medicine cat apprentice...

But that didn't matter, and Snowcloud knew that now. After all, Frostpaw had been through all her warrior training, and had decided to become a medicine cat at the very last minute.

And what about Icepaw? Had she really died because of starvation? It seemed unlikely. She had seemed fine a few days before. Perhaps it had been realistic for Icepaw to collapse, but to _die?_ Didn't that seem a bit drastic?

A frown had fallen onto Snowcloud's face as she flattened her ears. Something wasn't right about Frostpaw, but no one else could see it. And as far as she could tell, Frostpaw was getting more _popular._ Ratpaw was getting closer to her, and so was Olivepaw (but not that Snowcloud cared about Olivepaw anyway). What was going on? Her whiskers twitched.

She heard pawsteps from behind her, and Snowcloud let out a sigh of relief. This was the only place where she could talk to someone without them _judging_ her. She knew she couldn't tell anyone what she knew about Frostpaw. They wouldn't believe her. Not yet, anyway.

But when she got to her paws and looked over, she saw that it wasn't who she was expecting. It was a light brown tabby tom, amber eyes glowing, an unreadable expression on his face. Snowcloud had seen him here once before.

"Oh, hello," the she-cat mewed, ear flicking. The tom nodded to her, though he kept looking over his shoulder, as if worried about something.

"What's wrong?" Snowcloud mewed, raising an eyebrow. "You look afraid."

"Nothing," the tom grunted, looking at her. The she-cat wasn't convinced, but she said nothing more.

"There's something we've been discussing," the tom murmured. "Something that... we haven't told you."

"Is it about Frostpaw?" Snowcloud pressed, tail lifting in the air and claws digging into the soft ground.

"Not entirely," the tom said with a lash of his tail. "But it has to do with her. StarClan has discussed it, and we decided that you have to know the truth. Only three living cats know this, and none of them know it in its entirety."

"Well, what is it?" Snowcloud snapped, growing impatient. "Will you tell me already?"

The tom narrowed his eyes, but swallowed before saying, "I'm not going to tell you. I'm going to show you."

The she-cat stared at him, blinking and unsure how to respond. But before she had to, she began to hear a faint voice, whispering into her ear.

"Snowcloud... Snowcloud..."

Snowcloud whipped her head around, trying to figure out what was going on, but everything around her was starting to fade, the colors blurring together, the light in the sky going out. She was waking up.

"No," Snowcloud hissed. "Not yet... I have to... know the secret..."

But the next second, her eyes had flown open, and she was staring up at Furzetail, whose blue eyes shone a few whiskerlengths away from her face.

"Mom," Snowcloud grunted irritably, clenching her eyes shut. Why did she have to wake up _then?_ She was about to discover something that only three other cats knew, but Furzetail ruined it.

Furzetail's whiskers twitched in amusement, but Snowcloud didn't find it funny.

"You slept in," her mother murmured. "Harestep's organizing a border patrol. He wanted you to come, so I came to wake you up."

Snowcloud let out a long sigh as she got to her paws, seeing that they were indeed the only warriors in the den. She was about to complain, but she realized that this would be the first time she got to see the entire ThunderClan territory. Because now, it belonged to Minnowstar, and today was the first official day that ShadowClan and ThunderClan were one.

"Coming," she mewed, in a bit of a better mood, though the thoughts of her dream didn't leave her head.

It was strange stepping outside to see the ThunderClanners sitting around the clearing, talking or eating what little food they had. Snowcloud's own stomach rumbled; she hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. Letting out a sigh, she padded over to Harestep, who was standing with Icewhisker, Ravenheart, Ratpaw, a gray and white she-cat named Rainspot, and Bumblestar. Or, as Snowcloud again reminded herself, Bumble_claw._ The tom was flattening his ears and staring at the ground. Snowcloud snorted lightly; he really looked quite pathetic, now that he had been stripped of his leader name.

Ratpaw smiled to Snowcloud, who bounded over to his side.

"Good morning," mewed Ratpaw, a sly grin appearing on his face. "Even though it's practically sunhigh..."

Snowcloud rolled her eyes and gave him a hard nudge. Then she smirked and said, "I'm surprised Minnowstar's even letting you come on this patrol. She seemed pretty mad about you, Frostpaw and Cedarpaw sneaking off to RiverClan yesterday."

Ratpaw shook his head exasperatedly, as if reliving the memory of his leader yelling at him. "I know. I wanted to see our new territory. She told me I could only go if I agreed to clean out the elders' den right when I got back."

"Alright, everyone," Harestep mewed, his eyes flickering over the group. "Bumbleclaw and Rainspot are going to lead us through the old ThunderClan territory and help us remark the borders. Let's go."

And with that, the group was off, the deputy leading them through the snowy trees. It wasn't snowing yet, but the sky was dark, and it looked as if it would any minute.

Ratpaw and Snowcloud walked together towards the back of the group. The she-cat glanced at him, raising an eyebrow and murmured, "I noticed that you've been spending more time with Frostpaw lately."

Ratpaw looked at her, frowning. "Yeah, she's becoming a good friend of mine. I don't see why you have to be fighting. I wish we could all hang out without it being awkward."

Snowcloud snorted softly, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"You just wait," she muttered under her breath.

Ratpaw looked at her. "What'd you say?"

"Nothing."

The tom raised an eyebrow, looking suspicious.

"Snowcloud, can you please just tell me what's going on between you two? I talked to Frostpaw about it already, and she has no idea what's wrong. It's like you're mad at her for no reason."

Snowcloud stopped in her tracks and stared at the tom, who was looking at her with surprise. "I have plenty of reason," she muttered bitterly. She blinked, for a second wondering if she should tell him about everything. Her dreams and what StarClan had told her about her sister. She felt, just for a moment, that maybe he'd understand her.

She narrowed her eyes slightly. No. Now that he and Frostpaw were friends, it was possible that he'd just tell her everything she said. That wouldn't do.

"I used to spend every second with her," Snowcloud said, looking away as they continued to walk after the group. "I just need time to myself."

Ratpaw narrowed his eyes, but he said nothing else.

Soon, the group had stepped into ThunderClan territory. Snowcloud looked all around her as they walked, green eyes blinking in wonder as she kept nearly tripping on roots. She let out a hiss when she almost fell, hitting her paw against a rock.

"Snowcloud, maybe you'll stop tripping if you actually looked where you were going instead of up at the sky," stated Ratpaw, whiskers twitching in amusement.

"Shut up," mewed Snowcloud, flicking her tail. "I'm trying to take everything in. Can you believe it, Ratpaw? All this territory... it's _ours,_ now. All ours. We have twice as much territory as we did yesterday. Twice as much food."

Ratpaw didn't look so happy as she did. "But RiverClan's still much stronger," he muttered. "You heard what Blossomstar said. Anyone who didn't join with her by the end of Leafbare would be dead. She's bound to attack at some point. I'll bet she's planning something."

"Quit worrying," Snowcloud said, yawning. "From what I heard, the WindClan and ThunderClan cats weren't doing anything yesterday when you went with Frostpaw and Cedarpaw to rescue Olivepaw. That when Blossomstar ordered them to attack, they stayed away, all huddled together and not moving an inch. Maybe they won't be so willing to fight us if Blossomstar decides to attack."

Ratpaw looked at her curiously. "How did you hear about that?"

"I overheard Olivepaw and Cedarpaw talking about it," Snowcloud said swiftly. "Well, I really only heard Olivepaw."

"'Overheard,'" Ratpaw muttered. "Yeah, right."

"I wasn't eavesdropping!"

"Sure."

Snowcloud snorted as Ratpaw shot her a mischievous grin.

At the front of the group, Harestep was talking with Rainspot and Bumbleclaw, asking them questions. They seemed to be responding quite wearily. Snowcloud, after thinking about it, supposed that she couldn't blame them. After all, the name "ThunderClan" had basically just been erased, just like it had for WindClan.

The group carried on, and after a few minutes, Icewhisker stopped talking to Ravenheart and slowed down to the back of the crowd so that he was walking beside Snowcloud.

"Hello, Snowcloud," he mewed, clearly putting forth an effort to be friendly. Snowcloud glanced at him, understanding what was going on. It was clear that Icewhisker was getting closer to her mother, Furzetail, and that he felt as if he should be paying more attention to her children. She knew it wouldn't be long before Furzetail would tell her that they were officially mates. What if they had kits? Snowcloud blinked, never having considered this before. It wouldn't be just her and Frostpaw anymore.

"Hello," Snowcloud mewed politely, forcing a toothy smile. "How are you?"

"Fine," Icewhisker muttered, looking awkward. Sending her a glance, he said quietly, "I'm sure you've noticed that, well... Me and your mother are-"

"...Becoming more than just friends," Snowcloud finished with a flick of her tail. "Yeah, I know. It's pretty easy to see."

"Right," Icewhisker murmured, ears flattening a bit. "I was just... wondering if you were alright with that."

Snowcloud looked at him with a bit of surprise. "What, you're asking my permission?"

"I just want to make sure you'd be comfortable with your mother seeing another tom."

Snowcloud said nothing for a moment. She'd never seen her mother with _any_ tom. In fact, she'd never really asked about her father, or really have given it much thought. All Furzetail told her was that he had died in a RiverClan conflict shortly after she'd gotten pregnant. After that, no one mentioned him again.

"...Of course I'm comfortable with it," Snowcloud said rather stiffly. Realizing this, she put forth a smile and said, "Furzetail seems really happy with you."

A soft smile lit up Icewhisker's face. It was a somewhat odd expression for him.

"Thank you," he murmured, looking away. "I'm glad you're okay with it."

"Of course."

After another awkward glance, Icewhisker picked up his pace and returned to Ravenheart.

"What was that about?" Ratpaw asked curiously, walking closer to Snowcloud. He had let himself trail behind to let them talk.

"Just Icewhisker talking about my mother," Snowcloud murmured. "Wanted to know if I was 'comfortable' with it."

"Are you?"

Snowcloud looked at him, wondering why she felt so surprised. "Of course I am." She blinked, realizing for probably the first time that neither of them really had fathers. She felt strangely connected to him for that.

Ratpaw looked at her and opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly the cats at the front of the group had come to a halt, and Ratpaw and Snowcloud ended up bumping into Icewhisker and Ravenheart.

"What's going-" But Snowcloud broke off.

About a dozen foxlengths in front of them stood a lone tom that she had never seen before in her life. He was a pale tan color, but his face, ears, paws, and tail tip were darker brown. He was tall and quite thin, and the only thing left of his tail was just a small stub. He stood in the snow, silent, his crystal-blue eyes gazing at the Clan cats, silence surrounding them. Snowcloud stared at him, and when he caught her eye, she felt a slight shiver travel down her spine. Of course, that could have been because of the cold.

Finally, Harestep spoke. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

The tom didn't speak for a moment. He took a few steps forward, blue eyes glowing. Harestep flattened his ears, looking ready to attack.

The tom paused, glancing again at each of the Clan cats in a way that suggested he knew each of them personally. Then, he spoke.

"You're Clan cats, aren't you?"

"How do you know that?" growled Harestep, eyes narrowed.

The tom smiled slightly. "How? Everyone around here knows about the Clans. You lot are pretty hard to miss."

Icewhisker and Ravenheart glanced at each other. Rainspot was looking at him curiously as Bumbleclaw looked at the ground.

"You're in ShadowClan territory," Harestep pressed, tail lashing with evident irritation. "You can't be here. Leave now or we'll have to fight you."

But the stranger didn't look concerned. A small smile flickered on his face; it seemed a bit tired and almost, but not quite, sad.

"ShadowClan, eh?" the tom murmured, mostly to himself. "I was under the impression that ThunderClan lived in these woods." Snowcloud stared at him. He seemed to know a lot about the Clans.

"ThunderClan is part of ShadowClan now," growled Harestep. "You're wearing my patience, so unless you have any business with us-"

"Ah, yes. I suppose there's one thing worth mentioning," the tom said thoughtfully, flicking his stump of a tail. "Whether you want to listen is up to you. And somehow, I doubt you will." He shrugged gently, that odd smile still on his face. "Just remember that the problem doesn't lie in you. It doesn't even lie in your enemy." He blinked softly, shaking his head just slightly. The look he gave the Clan cats seemed strangely like pity. "What will destroy us will come from the outside, and it's something that none of us will be able to stop. Perhaps you should be spending less time fighting and more time preparing for the inevitable."

The Clan cats stared at him in a shocked silence. With a slight dip of the head, the mysterious tom abruptly turned, beginning to walk away.

"Wait!" Snowcloud called before she could stop herself, causing several others to flinch. "What's your name?"

The tall tan and brown tom stopped in his tracks, doing nothing for a few seconds until he finally glanced over his shoulder. He was smiling softly again.

"...Leo."

And with that, he turned and vanished, snow beginning to fall as if on cue, making Snowcloud forget all about her dream.

**Sorry, kinda short chapter.  
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**Review please? :) Get a Leo plushie?**

**Je vous aime.**

**TNT,**

**Pearleh**


	24. Chapter 23: Mysteries

**Hi :3**

**Recap: Snowcloud dreams she's in StarClan, and thinks about Frostpaw. A tom appears, telling her that he wants to show her a secret that only three other living cats know, but Furzetail wakes her up first. She goes on a patrol into ThunderClan's old territory, and Icewhisker talks to Snowcloud about Furzetail. Then, they run into a stranger who seems to know a lot about the Clans. He tells them that danger lies beyond the Clans, and that there's nothing they can do but prepare for the inevitable. He tells them that his name is Leo before leaving.**

Chapter 23

_Mysteries_

[Willowfall]

"...I'm sure you heard about it already," the white medicine cat apprentice was saying as she tore up some dead moss, blue eyes portraying that she was deep in thought, "but the patrol yesterday found an intruder on our territory. Ratpaw told me about it."

Willowfall was nodding mechanically as she stared out of the medicine den's entrance and out into the camp. It was almost dark; just a little bit of light remained, but it would soon be gone. It was quiet in camp, even after the addition of the ThunderClan cats. The medicine den was unusually empty, as well. Willowfall had gotten quite used to Cedarpaw being there, and perhaps Olivepaw, too.

But that's not what she was concerned about. That wasn't the reason that she was staring off into space, her blue eyes flickering with a complicated emotion that included sparks of worry and sorrow. And that certainly wasn't the reason why she was waiting, watching the last bits of light disappear from the snowy clearing, waiting for darkness to take hold of the woods, waiting for everyone to go to sleep.

"...Ratpaw said he sounded crazy," Frostpaw was murmuring, seemingly to herself until she glanced at her mentor and said, "Hey, Willowfall, are you listening?"

The older cat blinked, looking at her apprentice. "Of course I was listening. I'm just... a bit tired, is all."

Frostpaw stared at her, and Willowfall knew very well that she didn't believe her.

After a moment of hesitation, Frostpaw mewed, "Is... Is something wrong, Willowfall? You've been sort of... out of it all day." There was another pause before she said, her voice lowering, "You can tell me if there's something bothering you, you know. I'd listen."

Willowfall blinked in surprise, feeling quite touched by her apprentice's words. But she knew that she couldn't tell her what was bothering her, even if she wanted to.

"Thanks, Frostpaw," Willowfall sighed after a moment, quickly adding a soft smile. "I suppose I'm still thinking about Icepaw." This was not entirely a lie.

Frostpaw's expression darkened, and she suddenly looked at her paws, ears flattened.

"I still think about her, too," the apprentice admitted quietly. "It's just... She was the first patient I ever had who ended up dying."

Willowfall looked at her, feeling sympathy swell up in her. She let her tail rest on the younger cat's shoulder, and Frostpaw looked up.

"Not everyone can be saved," Willowfall murmured, an image of Badgerkit flashing before her eyes. "And that's something that every medicine cat has to learn at some point. The sooner the better. We always do what we can, though, and sometimes, that really is all we can do."

Frostpaw nodded slightly, apparently thinking this over in her mind. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she muttered. "Thanks."

Willowfall smiled slightly, but her gaze flickered back towards the camp outside. The sun had finally set.

. . .

By the time Willowfall was making her way hurriedly through the shadowy forest, the clouds had, to her surprise, made way for the nearly-halfmoon, giving her a bit of light. With ever step she took, she swore her heart began to drum even harder against her chest. She swallowed, her throat dry, her head aching. She tried to calm herself down. What did she have to worry about?

She flattened her ears, bitterly reminding herself that she _knew_ why she was worried. She was worried that talking to him, even _seeing_ him would set off that same string of memories in her mind that would remind her how happy they had been together, moons ago. She had been trying her hardest not to think about him, and had almost been _annoyed_ when he'd asked her to meet with her. She blinked softly, the scene replaying in her head. She had just gone with Minnowstar and most of her other Clanmates to RiverClan to rescue Olivepaw, Ratpaw, Cedarpaw and Frostpaw. He had caught her gaze just as she was turning to leave, had flicked his tail to beckon her over, had looked at her with a nearly expressionless face as he told her he had something important he wanted to tell her, but that she would have to wait until they could discuss it in private.

She flattened her ears, trying to make herself annoyed with him. When she had talked to him the last time they were at the docks, it had been pretty clear that he didn't want anything to do with her anymore. Not since she had confided to him that she had killed Graystar, which had finally began the demise of their relationship. The _nerve_ of him, asking her back to the docks after he had been so cold to her! What could possibly be so important?

And, the more she thought about it, the more worried she got as an endless stream of possibilities flooded her thoughts. Had someone found out about Graystar? Did someone know about their kits? Was something wrong with him? Maybe he was sick, maybe he'd gotten some horrible disease and was about to die and wanted to see her one last time to tell her he still loved her-

She let out a loud hiss, intensely frustrated with herself. She knew he didn't love her anymore, it'd been made clear quite a while ago.

So then why did these almost hopeful thoughts keep popping up?

_I'm pathetic,_ she thought bitterly, trying to focus solely on the path before her.

Soon enough, the trees began to thin out, and the scent of RiverClan grew stronger. She soon reached the old Thunderpath that divided the two territories; with a cautious look in either direction, she crossed into RiverClan, hurriedly making her way towards the docks, the lake's reflection of the moon bouncing around in the corner of her eye.

It was more dangerous than ever to cross into RiverClan territory, and she was mildly surprised to see that there weren't any cats guarding the border, even in the dead of night. She spotted the dock; taking in a deep breath, she stepped onto the snow-covered wood, slowly making her way to the end until she reached the edge. He wasn't there, yet.

She let out a shiver as she rigidly sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws as she looked out at the water. The lake was as beautiful as always, especially with the moon turning it silver. She could hear the gentle lapping of waves against the shore underneath her, the rustling of the trees, and, every now and then, a few owls hooting. It was hard to believe that the Clans were facing such hard times in such a serene place.

Only about a minute passed before a familiar smell suddenly wafted by her as she heard soft pawsteps approaching. She swallowed, trying to steady her breathing, trying to ignore the fact that her heart had just begun to beat fiercely. For a moment, she didn't want to turn around. Maybe she could pretend she didn't hear him. But after a moment, she couldn't take it. Drawing in a deep breath, she got to her paws and looked over her shoulder.

And there he was. His black fur was as neat and well-groomed as usual, and though he was still quite muscular, he'd grown noticeably thinner. His green eyes were gazing at her, and it seemed as if a thousand emotions were darting through them, making it impossible for Willowfall to tell how he could be feeling. He swallowed, giving an awkward nod.

"Hello, Willowfall."

"Blacktail," Willowfall responded quite coolly, determined to make him feel worse about the way he had been treating her.

Blacktail let out a long sigh. "Listen, I think you'd better sit down. I need you to listen to what I have to say."

"Funny," Willowfall said swiftly, "I remember you saying last time that you expected us to 'keep living our lives as if we never even knew each other.' What made you change your mind so suddenly? I don't know if you were aware, Blacktail, but I've had quite a lot to deal with in ShadowClan-"

"I have kits," Blacktail quickly said, as if he wanted to get it over with quickly.

She stared at him, nonplussed.

"I know," she said, a bit startled, but quickly added that coolness to her voice, determined not to appear weak. "I think I would know better than you, seeing as you left me alone, never making even one contribution-"

"No," he cut in with a quick sigh. He was now looking away. "I mean, I have other kits, now." There was a pause. "...They were born last week."

Willowfall stared at him, her mouth hanging open, her head beginning to pound. Had she heard him right? Maybe... Maybe this was just some joke... A cruel one, but still... He couldn't have... He couldn't have _possibly..._

"The mother is Maplenose," Blacktail continued quietly, now looking at his paws. "She's... my mate, now. I thought that you should know."

There was a long, highly uncomfortable silence during which neither of them said a word. Willowfall was still trying to grasp what he had said, determined to find any sign that he was lying. But she couldn't.

After a few moments had passed and she still hadn't responded, Blacktail let out another long sigh, shaking his head softly and lifting his gaze.

"Please don't be upset, Willowfall," he murmured. "You know as well as I do that whatever we had together is over-"

"I... I know," she said in an almost confused manner. She blinked several times, staring at him.

"I just thought that you should know."

She nodded slowly, her mind churning. Finally, after what seemed like years, she blurted out, "What are their names?"

Blacktail gave a tiny smile, but it was quite forced.

"The tom's name is Nightkit. The she-cat's name..." He drifted off, looking uncomfortable before letting out another quick sigh. "The she-cat's name is Willowkit."

Willowfall stared at him, growing more and more unable to react.

"Willow-"

"Maplenose chose it," he said quickly and quietly. "She liked the name, is all."

"Of... Of course," murmured Willowfall, nodding faintly. She looked up at the sky; millions of stars twinkled brightly, but even then, dark clouds were beginning to roll in, threatening to block out the moonlight. She wondered vaguely why she didn't feel angry. A little demon inside her seemed to be yelling at her, telling her that she didn't deserve this, any of this, that she should kill this cat named Maplenose after giving Blacktail the same fate that Graystar had. A chill went down her spine, shocked that these thoughts had even entered her head. But they quickly went away, and she was left with this sort of blank feeling. She didn't know what to do, or say, or even think. All that she was aware of was how pretty the stars looked tonight.

Blacktail cleared his throat, getting to his paws. "Well," he said awkwardly, "I... suppose that I should head back to RiverClan. I don't want Blossomstar to notice that I'm gone..."

Willowfall didn't respond. She'd barely even heard him. After a moment, though, she gave a tiny nod.

Blacktail looked even more uncomfortable. Lowering his head, he muttered, "I'll see you later, Willowfall," before turning and disappearing into the darkness, leaving the medicine cat alone on the dock.

She sat there for a long time, looking out at the water, remembering when, almost a moon ago, she had actually attempted to drown herself because of Blacktail. She tried not to think about it. Blinking softly, she looked out at the scenery, seeing the moors of WindClan stretch out across the lake. She could also see, very vaguely, the shape of the abandoned barn that the Twolegs used to live in. For some reason, she felt an odd tingle go down her spine, but she brushed it off and blamed it on the cold.

She wasn't sure how much time passed, but her eyelids were beginning to droop, and before long, the sharp edges of the dock and the distant trees began to blur. She was dully aware that darkness was surrounding her.

Were those pawsteps she heard? She blinked softly, realizing that she was sitting in complete blackness, the world around her having disappeared.

Those were definitely pawsteps. Turning around, she saw a small black and white kit; Willowfall immediately recognized those big blue eyes that were staring at her, shining brightly. A soft frown was on his face as his pelt twinkled with what seemed like starlight.

"Badgerkit," Willowfall breathed at once, staring at him with surprise. "I... I haven't seen you in a while..." Memories flashed through her head. The last time they'd spoken, he had stopped her from drowning, and they'd been in a place that he'd said was "between life and death."

"Am I dying?" she blurted out, glancing around uneasily. But Badgerkit let out a small laugh.

"Naw, you're just almost asleep."

"Oh," Willowfall murmured, looking at him curiously; she couldn't help but feel another twinge of guilt.

Badgerkit seemed to read her mind. "Y'know, I still don't blame you for what happened to me. I never did." His expression darkened, his ears flattening as he looked at his paws. This sparked a memory in Willowfall's brain.

"Badgerkit," she murmured, "last time I saw you, I asked you who it was that fed you the berries..." His head lowered. "Do you think you can tell me, now?" When he raised his head, looking fearful, she mewed, "I can help you, Badgerkit. I can tell everyone what happened, I can bring this cat to justice-"

"That's impossible," Badgerkit muttered. He suddenly raised his head and stared right into Willowfall's eyes, his own blazing. "Because they're already dead."

The medicine cat stared at him, at a loss for words. But for some reason, a very fleeting image of Emberheart shot through her mind.

"Badger-"

"That isn't why I wanted to talk to you," he said quietly, though it was clear he was avoiding the subject. A deep frown fell on his face as he looked at her with worry. "You're in danger, Willowfall. My mom is planning something. Something big."

Willowfall felt dread creeping down her spine, worry clenching at her chest. _Emberheart is _dead, she tried to tell herself. _She can't do anything._.. _But don't you remember what she said?_ the other voice asked. _She said that even though she was dead, this wasn't over. She would find a way to get her revenge..._

She tried to swallow, but her throat was dry. She managed to croak, "What... What is she planning...?"

Badgerkit looked at his paws. "I... I'm not exactly sure," he murmured. He looked up again, and Willowfall could tell that he was serious about what he was saying, or what he was about to say. "Just make sure that Snowcloud doesn't go to the next Gathering."

She stared at the kit, her shock clear on her face.

"Snowcloud?" she echoed incredulously. "Why..."

But just as quickly as Badgerkit had appeared, he was already beginning to fade and grow further and further away.

"Be careful, Willowfall," the tom begged, shaking his head as he looked at her desperately. "And make sure she doesn't come..."

Before she could ask anymore questions, he was gone. She was left stranded in darkness for a matter of moments before her eyes shot open. She was still on the dock, the waves still washing peacefully against the shore, the moon still trying to shine as thick clouds began to cover it up.

Her head was spinning as she tried to take in everything that was said. Emberheart was up to something, she knew that much. But how did Badgerkit know? Hadn't she pointed out to Emberheart that her son hadn't been with her when she'd seen her at the Moonpool?

Glancing up at the now almost concealed moon, she remembered, with a sort of feeling of dread, that she would be visiting the Moonpool tomorrow night with the other medicine cats. As much as she wanted to find out what Emberheart was up to, she was scared that whatever it could be, she wouldn't be able to stop it.

And how come she had to make sure Snowcloud wouldn't come to the next Gathering? Why would that matter? How on earth was she supposed to make sure that Minnowstar wouldn't select her? Sheer luck? But Badgerkit had seemed quite serious, as if she had to do anything necessary to make sure she wouldn't be at the Gathering. But how? And what about the cat who had fed deathberries to Badgerkit? If they were already dead, then...?

She let out a long sigh, clenching her eyes shut so tightly they hurt. Mysteries seemed to be swarming around the entire Clan, and as far as she could tell, it would take awhile to solve even one of them. And with this in mind, she slowly made her way back to camp, flurries of snow beginning to fall from the sky.

**Willowfall is one of my favorites :)**

**Oh PS, would it be helpful if I posted an updated allegiances, with the new ShadowClan and RiverClan? Or are y'all fine without it? Let me know if it'd be helpful or not:)**

**I love you allll xoxoo**

**Till next time,**

**Pearl!**


	25. Chapter 24: Before Her Eyes

**Hello :D**

**Recap: Frostpaw and Willowfall talk about Icepaw. Then, later that night, Willowfall sneaks out of camp to meet Blacktail, who had told her that there was something he wanted to talk to her about. She's annoyed with herself for still thinking about him so much. When they meet at the docks, he tells her that he has a new mate from RiverClan, Maplenose, and that they had two kits, Nightkit and Willowkit. After Blacktail leaves, Willowfall begins to drift off and sees Badgerkit. She tries to ask about the cat who had fed him deathberries, but he doesn't tell her who it is and tells her instead that she has to be careful because Emberheart is planning something, and that Snowcloud mustn't go to the next Gathering. **

Chapter 24

_Before Her Eyes_

[Frostpaw]

As usual, it was freezing that day. Everything was coated in a fresh white from the storm the night before, and the sun that now so rarely showed itself was gleaming brilliantly against the snow. The forest was unusually silent for midday, except for the crows that would screech at each other every few minutes, always followed by loud fluttering sounds.

Frostpaw slowly blinked her blue eyes, a frown on her face as she walked silently through the trees. She knew that she shouldn't have been out here alone, that Minnowstar would surely be angry, but she found that she didn't really care. Willowfall had told her that she needed to talk to Onespot and that Frostpaw could go occupy herself elsewhere. It was a bit strange having Onespot in the den with her and her mentor; she hadn't quite gotten used to the fact that now, ShadowClan had _three_ medicine cats. But she liked him, and Willowfall seemed to, too.

She let out a long sigh, and a moment later, she came to a halt. She was at the snow-covered Twoleg path that separated ShadowClan territory from ThunderClan. Or, at least, it _used _to. Now it meant nothing. The two Clans had joined.

But for some reason, she still hesitated to cross it, worrying that she'd get in trouble. After a moment of hesitation, however, she brought herself to cross it. This was the first time she'd really be able to explore these woods. Maybe she'd even be able to find something to hunt. Then, Minnowstar couldn't get mad at her, right?

As she walked through the dead trees, she remembered that tonight was the night of the halfmoon, when she would go with the other medicine cats to the Moonpool. She felt a surge of excitement rush through her. StarClan would surely talk to her, right? She frowned, bluntly aware that, as far as she could remember, StarClan never seemed to talk to _Willowfall._

_Maybe she just keeps what they tell her a secret,_ the apprentice thought, satisfied with her own explanation.

She wondered, briefly, when she would ever get her medicine cat name. She supposed that training to become a medicine cat would take longer than training to become a warrior. _I guess all the other apprentices will get their warrior names before I get mine,_ she thought, tail flicking.

Lost in thought, her paws carried her through the forest, though she wasn't quite aware of where it was she was going.

Then, she paused, tense, blue eyes wide. Several foxlengths away, by a tree root, was a mouse. It was small and scrawny, but she knew that during Leafbare, they needed to catch all the prey they could.

She slowly crept forward, the skills she'd learned as a warrior still reflected in her movements. Closer... Closer... The mouse paid no notice.

Crouching and ready to pounce, Frostpaw took a deep breath, when suddenly-

Bushes rustled loudly and a dark shape shot out of the undergrowth and flew towards the mouse, landing neatly on top of it. The cat quickly bit its neck, and it died in an instant.

Frostpaw blinked, tail lifted in surprise.

"Ratpaw?"

The tom jumped and turned around, the mouse still hanging in his jaws. Dropping it to his feet, he mewed, "Frostpaw? What're you doing here?"

"Hunting that mouse," Frostpaw replied, laughing lightly. "Looks like you beat me to it."

Ratpaw grinned, amber eyes glowing.

"Sorry about that."

"Are you on a hunting patrol?" mewed Frostpaw, taking a few steps closer to him and sitting down.

"Yeah, with Furzetail, Redwhisker, Grasspaw, and his mentor, Ferretheart." His eyes seemed to darken at the mention of Grasspaw, the apprentice who had been in ThunderClan. Frostpaw had never talked to him, but he seemed quite reserved and hadn't made much of an effort to communicate with the other apprentices.

"Is he nice?" Frostpaw asked. "Grasspaw, I mean. He seems lonely."

"I wouldn't know," Ratpaw said quietly. "I've never talked to him."

The she-cat raised an eyebrow, looking at him suspiciously.

"Is something wrong?"

"...No."

"Ratpaw..."

The tom let out a sigh. "Alright." He lowered his voice, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "Russetpaw told me about him about half a moon ago. I'm almost positive that she was in love with him. She still might be."

Frostpaw, though she was touched that Ratpaw trusted her enough to tell her this, felt some sort of lurch in her stomach.

"So, you're still not over Russetpaw?"

Their eyes met, and when they did, Frostpaw flattened her ears, for some reason feeling... _embarrassed._ Why did she care so much if he liked Russetpaw? Why did the idea even make her a little... angry? It must have been because she was just looking out for him. It was forbidden love, and Frostpaw didn't want him to get hurt. That must have been all it was. She swallowed.

Ratpaw broke their gaze and he looked away awkwardly. "Sometimes I still think about her," he said quietly. "About how it was in the beginning. Everything was so... simple. But it got complicated, being in different Clans. And you saw what happened at RiverClan. She'll never forgive me after what I pulled."

Frostpaw found herself talking before she could even think. "If she was a _decent_ cat, then she _would_ have forgiven you. You were only trying to protect your sister. I'm sure she would have done the same for her brother. If she loved you, then she would have understood that." She blinked, slightly surprised with her own words. But as Ratpaw lifted his head and studied her, he didn't look angry.

"Maybe you're right," he murmured. "I think it's just best that I forget about her. She isn't the cat I thought she was, anyway."

"You'll find someone else," Frostpaw mewed quietly. Ratpaw gave her that same, slightly curious look. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, a voice called out, "Ratpaw?"

The tom flinched, flattening his ears. Frostpaw thought that he looked disappointed.

"That's Furzetail," he murmured, straightening himself up. "You'd better get out of here, your mom might get mad to see you here alone."

"R...Right," Frostpaw stammered getting to her paws. As Ratpaw turned to leave, she mewed, "Ratpaw, don't forget your mouse!"

He stopped, glancing over his shoulder, amber eyes shining. A small smile appeared on his face. "...You keep it."

And without another word, the tom darted back into the undergrowth, vanishing from sight and leaving Frostpaw standing there for a few moments, slightly bewildered.

. . .

Night had finally come, and the halfmoon lay high in the sky, giving the three cats light as they marched through the trees.

Frostpaw, Willowfall and Onespot were walking close together as they made their way through the old ThunderClan territory to meet with the other medicine cats in the moors. Willowfall and Onespot were talking quietly to each other; the apprentice wasn't really listening.

"...I'll have to ask Forestwind and Bluebird how they're doing," Willowfall was saying quietly. "And I hope Jaguarpaw's alright. You heard how RiverClan had abducted him, right? They used him to bribe Greenstar to join them."

"I know," Onespot sighed, shaking his head. "Though Greenstar's only Green_gaze_, now. I hope he's doing alright. He's always been a bit... feeble."

"Everything is so different, now," Willowfall murmured. "I wonder what StarClan thinks of all this. That there are only two Clans, now. They surely can't be supporting Blossomstar..."

"Do you think they'll strip her of her nine lives?" Onespot asked, glancing at the light gray she-cat.

"Don't get your hopes up too high," Willowfall muttered bitterly. "Frostpaw? Are you alright?"

The apprentice flinched, looking over to see the two medicine cats staring at her.

"Wh... Oh. Yeah, I'm... I'm fine."

Willowfall raised an eyebrow, but she didn't say anything else.

The three cats broke from the trees and stepped out onto the open moors, the wind ruffling their fur as stars twinkled brightly overheard.

A few minutes passed before, in the distance, Frostpaw spotted the shadows of two cats approaching them. Blinking, she glanced at Willowfall; the apprentice's worry was reflected in her mentor's face. Onespot shifted uncomfortably, and after a moment, he asked what everyone was thinking.

"Why are there only two of them?"

Willowfall narrowed her eyes. "I see Bluebird and Brightpaw. Where are Forestwind and Jaguarpaw? Don't you think they would have all traveled together?"

"Maybe they had something to do and will catch up," Onespot said, but no one was reassured.

The three cats walked forward to meet with the others. Bluebird's gray tabby fur was ruffled, her blue eyes shining anxiously. Brightpaw, a tan and white she-cat, had her green eyes averted towards the snowy ground, ears flattened.

"What's wrong?" Willowfall asked at once, eyes shining in the darkness.

Bluebird sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. "Jaguarpaw has fallen ill. Forestwind stayed behind to take care of him."

"Is he alright?" Onespot asked quietly. Frostpaw, frowning, was glancing at Brightpaw, who looked absolutely defeated. She felt a pang of sympathy for her; she knew that she had always been friends with Jaguarpaw.

Bluebird hesitated before letting out another sigh.

"It's greencough."

Frostpaw pricked her ears, looking at the medicine cat in alarm. Everyone was silent for a few seconds.

"And?" asked Willowfall quietly. "How does it look? Will he make it?"

Bluebird hesitated again, this time sending a glance towards Brightpaw, who had seemed to sink even lower into the ground.

"We're trying," Bluebird murmured.

"Does anyone else have it?" Onespot mewed anxiously. "This could be the beginning of an outbreak-"

"A few have already been treated for whitecough," Bluebird mewed. "But we're afraid that Jaguarpaw isn't the only one that will fall ill. ShadowClan had better be careful, too, you don't want it starting to infect your cats in the midst of Leafbare."

Frostpaw saw Willowfall and Onespot exchange worried glances, which didn't help her anxiety.

"Oh," Bluebird said quietly, "and our deputy started showing symptoms this morning... He told me he felt ill, that his throat was hurting, and he's close to running a fever... But don't tell anyone I said that, I'm sure Blossomstar wouldn't want anyone to-"

"Blacktail's _sick?"_ Willowfall suddenly cut in, and the loudness of her voice seemed to surprise everyone else, who all looked at her curiously. Frostpaw blinked, staring at her mentor, who refused to catch her eye.

Bluebird looked at Willowfall for a moment before murmuring, "Yes. Hopefully we'll be able to stop it before it gets bad."

"Do you and Forestwind have enough catnip?" Willowfall pressed, tail lashing and whiskers twitching.

"For now. Thank you, though. If we need some, I'll be sure to let you know."

There was a pause, and an odd, slightly uncomfortable feeling hung in the air.

"Well, then," Onespot mewed, straightening up. "Shall we head to the Moonpool?"

The others nodded, but said nothing.

The five cats made their way through the snowy moors, owls hooting all around them, a freezing wind sending a chill down Frostpaw's spine. She walked behind Onespot, Willowfall, and Bluebird; they were talking to each other in low voices. Several mouselengths behind her, Brightpaw was dragging her feet.

They grew nearer and nearer to the Moonpool; Frostpaw could hear the soft trinkling of the stream that flowed nearby. Suppressing a shiver, they approached the path that spiraled down to the silver pool.

Frostpaw followed after the others, her paws fitting into the ancient pawprints that had been left behind centuries ago. Her heart began to race with excitement as they reached the edge of the water, which reflected the half-moon above. She just hoped that she would learn how to help her Clan, and even RiverClan. Cats were getting sick, and even though none of the others were saying it, she knew that it would only be a matter of time before an outbreak erupted in ShadowClan, too.

The five medicine cats leaned over and lapped up some of the water. It was so cold that it almost burned Frostpaw's throat as she swallowed, but a second later, a calm tiredness came over her. She lay down, curling into a tight ball as her eyes closed and she fell asleep.

Her head seemed to be pounding even before she opened her eyes. And when she did, she was so confused and shocked that she didn't even know how to react.

She was standing in the middle of a huge fire. It was engulfing everything, spreading through the trees which withered and fell to the ground with huge crashes, black smoke everywhere. There were low booms that seemed to shake the ground; she couldn't tell whether it was thunder or something else. Cats were everywhere, but most of them lay sprawled out on the ground, blood everywhere, staining the snow as they called out for each other, groaning in pain, trying to lift themselves to the ground but falling back down.

A few cats were coughing violently and had lost much of their hair, but their faces seemed to be blurred so Frostpaw couldn't recognize any of them. Elsewhere, cats were fighting, lashing out at each other, seemingly unaware of the blazing fire that was tearing the forest apart. From afar, she caught sight of a white cat battling a black cat until they had both collapsed to the ground; unconscious or dead, Frostpaw wasn't sure.

Then, without any warning at all, a fiercely violent snow began to fall, so thick that all that Frostpaw could see was white. The wind was so strong that she found it hard to stay on her feet. Her eyes and teeth were clenched together as she struggled to remain on the ground, but the wind was too strong, she was suddenly in the air-

When she opened her eyes again, she was underwater. She drew in a weak gasp, finding that she could breathe. It was black all around her, but she could feel herself floating there. Above her, the moon was shining. It was nearly, but not quite, full.

Straining to see something, _anything,_ she tried to swim forward, but it was impossible to tell whether or not she was going anywhere. Then, she saw it- in front of her was a gray tabby cat, slowly sinking through the water. Was that... Minnowstar?

She tried to swim forward to get a closer look, but the vision had suddenly vanished. She felt land below her feet again, but that same blackness still surrounded her, nearly choking her. Several taillengths in front of her, a brief image of a pure white cat flashed. A few seconds passed before it flashed again, and this time, Frostpaw recognized this cat as her sister.

"Snowcloud," she tried to say, but words seemed unable to escape her throat.

When Snowcloud flashed before her eyes the third time, her snow-white coat was suddenly painted with splatters of blood, and her leaf-green eyes seemed to bore into Frostpaw's mind to the point where the apprentice found that she was cringing with an odd pain now coursing through her entire body. It grew worse and worse until she opened her mouth to cry out, but again, no noise was made. She fell to the ground, eyes shut tight, heart beating faster and faster... She had never felt a more intense pain in her life and wondered, briefly, whether or not she would die. When she opened her eyes again with a gasp of pain, she found that it was not Snowcloud before her, but Willowfall... And then she, too, dissolved into blackness.

She woke up at once with a loud shriek, springing to her paws, heart beating faster than it ever had in her life. She looked all around her, just to make sure that she had escaped that dream or nightmare or _whatever_ that had been, and to her relief, the Moonpool shone beside her, as calm and serene as ever. Everyone else was still asleep.

Fear still pounded in her head, her breathing rapid and uneven. Shakily, she sat down, blue eyes huge. It took her a few minutes to even begin to process what she had just seen. That couldn't have just been a nightmare. She had drank the water from the Moonpool, after all. It had to have been sent from StarClan, right?

But what did it all mean? A fire, a blizzard, sickness, fighting... And then she had been underwater, watching a gray tabby drown... And then Snowcloud and that unbearable pain she'd felt... Willowfall...

"Frostpaw, what's wrong?"

The apprentice let out a tiny cry as she whirled around, eyes huge, her fur fluffed up. Willowfall was standing there, staring at her with concern. She hadn't noticed her getting up.

"Frostpaw," he mentor murmured, voice soft yet full of worry, "are you alright?"

The apprentice warily glanced around, still panting. The others were still asleep.

"Frostpaw," Willowfall said lower. "What did you _see?"_

Frostpaw stared at her mentor, shaking her head softly.

"I-I... I..."

But before she could say anything, she heard as Bluebird began to stir. She glanced at the RiverClan she-cat and tried to swallow. She didn't want to say anything around anyone else.

Willowfall followed her gaze, seemingly reading her thoughts. When she turned back to Frostpaw, her eyes were narrowed, and something seemed to spark within them. She took a step forward and brought her lips to Frostpaw's ear.

"Frostpaw, when we get back to camp, I want you to tell me everything you saw. Do you understand?" Her voice was low.

The apprentice managed a nod, the scenes she'd witnessed still flashing before her eyes.

Only a few minutes passed before Onespot and Brightpaw had woken up, too, so the group began to make its way back through the moors. Everyone was unusually quiet and reserved, not that Frostpaw would have wanted to speak to anyone then, anyway.

When they reached the shore, the group split up, going their separate ways. Frostpaw walked close to Willowfall and Onespot; she felt exhausted and still quite shaken. They journeyed back to camp in silence.

When they got to the clearing, Frostpaw immediately sensed that something was wrong. Quite a few cats were awake, talking anxiously to each other; Minnowstar was talking to Swallowflight and Harestep, her eyes narrowed.

When Frostpaw spotted Ratpaw talking to Olivepaw, the dream she'd just had vanished from her mind. The tom looked up and caught her eye; he murmured something to the clearly distraught Olivepaw before bounding over to Frostpaw.

"Ratpaw," she rasped, glancing around, frowning. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

The dark gray tom let out a sigh, looking troubled.

"It's Cedarpaw," he murmured. "...He's missing."

**I love y'all (:**

**I'll post the allegiances next chapter.**

**TNT**

**Pearl!**


	26. Chapter 25 & ALLEGIANCES!

**Holaaaaaaaaaa!**

**Recap: Frostpaw talks to Ratpaw on a patrol, who tells her about Grasspaw. Later, Frostpaw goes with Onespot and Willowfall to the Moonpool with Bluebird and Brightpaw. Bluebird says that Jaguarpaw has greencough, and she's worried it'll spread throughout the Clan, and maybe reach ShadowClan, too. They go to the Moonpool and Frostpaw dreams that there's a fire, and that cats are fighting and dying. She witnesses a gray cat drowning, and then sees Snowcloud, who attacks her. She sees a flash of Willowfall before she wakes up, startled. When they get back to camp, Ratpaw tells her that Cedarpaw's missing.**

**There are updated allegiances after the chapter.**

Chapter 25

_In the Dead of Night_

[Cedarpaw and Olivepaw]

. . .

_Earlier that night_

. . .

Cedarpaw shifted in his nest, ears flattened as he squinted his eyes tighter, trying desperately to fall asleep. He let out a shiver as a cold wind seeped through the branches of the apprentices' den and curled into a tighter ball. But a second later, he restlessly flipped over onto his back, opening his amber eyes and now staring at the ceiling.

With a sigh, he glanced around, still not completely used to how many apprentices there now were. Olivepaw was sleeping beside him; their fur had been brushing when they'd settled down, but now bits of torn up moss that had been tossed around during his attempt to sleep separated them. Ratpaw slept close to his sister, and a little ways away, Brokenpaw and Littlepaw slumbered. In the corner of the den, away from everyone else, slept Grasspaw.

Frowning, he rolled back over onto his side, bluntly aware that Grasspaw had purposefully kept his distance from him. After all, Cedarpaw had been fighting him and had ended up giving him a few injuries that Willowfall had to treat. His ears flattened, his mind wandering once again to when he had seen his brother during the fight with ThunderClan a few days ago. Ever since it had happened, he couldn't quite get it out of his head, and a part of him kept wishing that he would see him again. Another part was _scared_ that he would see him again, though he wasn't quite sure why.

He glanced over at Olivepaw, resting peacefully. He sighed, closing his eyes and wondering why she even liked being around him. She seemed like she was the only one.

_Maybe you should tell her,_ a voice kept telling him lately. _Everything._

_No,_ the other voice said firmly. _She'd hate me. I don't want to lose her._

_You barely have her in the first place,_ the other voice retorted. Cedarpaw flattened his ears.

Just as he had laid his head down in another attempt to get some sleep, he thought he saw something flickering out of the corner of his eye. Blinking, he lifted his head. Something seemed to be glowing faintly outside of the den.

Slowly, he got to his paws, his gaze remaining on whatever was outside. Careful not to step on anyone, he crept outside, glancing around the deserted clearing and freezing when he saw it, eyes wide.

. . .

_Present time_

_. . ._

"Missing?" Frostpaw was echoing, blue eyes wide as she stared at Ratpaw. "What do you mean, missing?" She glanced over at Olivepaw and walked over to her, Ratpaw at her side.

Olivepaw, ears flattened, looked away.

"Olivepaw, do you know what happened?" the medicine apprentice asked, shaking her head. "Do you know anything?"

"No," the dark brown tabby muttered, hoping they couldn't hear her heart pounding loudly against her chest. "But when I woke up, he was gone. I waited for a while for him to come back, but he didn't. Nobody's seen him."

"Minnowstar will set up search parties," Ratpaw said quietly, glancing over to where their leader was talking to Harestep and Cedarpaw's mother, Swallowflight.

Olivepaw didn't reply. For some reason, she had the feeling that Cedarpaw was in more danger than any other cat in the Clan would have been if _they _had been out alone. She remembered when, over a moon ago now, he had collapsed during a patrol and had been in the medicine den for days. What if something like that happened again? A feeling of dread boiled in the pit of her stomach. He had to be found as soon as possible.

Olivepaw glanced at Frostpaw and Ratpaw, who were now talking to each other in low voices. With a brief sigh, she said, "I'm going to look for him."

The two apprentice stared at her as if she were crazy.

"Olivepaw," Ratpaw breathed, "that isn't smart. There's already one cat missing, we don't want to have another."

"And Minnowstar's about to send out search parties," mewed Frostpaw to his defense. "They'll find him, don't worry."

"No, they won't," Olivepaw said before she could stop herself, and even after she said it, she wasn't quite sure why there had been so much confidence in her voice.

"And you think _you_ can?" Ratpaw shot at his sister, eyes narrowing slightly. "Olivepaw, I don't want you to put yourself in danger. Not after what happened with RiverClan."

"That was different," growled Olivepaw, whiskers twitching as she grew agitated. "Ratpaw, you have to understand. I _need_ to go look for him."

Ratpaw and Frostpaw exchanged a glance, and irritation bubbled up inside of Olivepaw.

Ratpaw lowered his head and whispered, "Fine. There's no point in trying to stop you."

"Thank you," his sister muttered.

"We'll cover you," he said. "But I don't think they'll notice if you leave with all this excitement. And Minnowstar already questioned you, anyway."

Olivepaw nodded, and the three of them quietly slipped over towards the edge of camp, where the shallow slope began.

"Go now," Ratpaw whispered. "But Olivepaw, _be careful._ I'm serious. If you aren't back soon, then I'm telling Minnowstar what you did."

"I'll be fine," muttered Olivepaw, careful not to let a growl escape her throat. With a quick, thankful nod to the two of them, she turned and darted up the slope, disappearing into the dark forest.

. . .

_Earlier that night_

. . .

Standing just a few foxlengths before Cedarpaw was a cat. But it wasn't an ordinary cat. It was a kit with a light gray tabby pelt, amber eyes focussed on Cedarpaw, unwavering. A dull silver light was emitting from him, and his features seemed slightly blurred. But nonetheless, Cedarpaw recognized him right away.

Waterkit...

The light brown tabby stared at his brother, transfixed, unable to move for a few moments. Waterkit blinked his big eyes, a smile on his face as he waved his tail in greeting. The same feeling that he had experienced a few days ago shot through Cedarpaw- a feeling of confusion, disbelief, and sorrow.

He took a step forward, wanting to speak to his brother, wanting his brother to speak to _him_ as he had when he'd stopped him from hurting Grasspaw any more.

But before either of them said a word, Waterkit turned and bounded off a few foxlengths before turning back, nodding to him. Cedarpaw understood at once- Waterkit wanted him to follow him.

Without hesitation, he began after his brother, silently making his way up the slope and stepping into the forest.

Though it wasn't snowing, the air was cold and bitter, ruffling Cedarpaw's fur as it flew by. But the tom hardly noticed; he wasn't even paying attention to where exactly it was he was going. He kept his eyes fixed on the kit in front of him, mesmerized by the silver glow that surrounded him.

The spirit hadn't spoken yet, but Cedarpaw could tell that there was something important to talk to him about, something that he couldn't let anyone back at camp overhear. He kept following him, the minutes stretching on as they proceeded deeper and deeper into the forest. For some reason, a tiny feeling that something was wrong nagged at the corner of Cedarpaw's mind. That something, though he didn't know what, was wrong with Waterkit. But as he couldn't put his paw on it, he convinced himself that he was just tired and continued after his brother.

. . .

_Present time_

_. . ._

Olivepaw had broken into a run, her breathing loud and unsteady, her heart drumming against her chest, amber eyes wide. She didn't know where it was she was going, but all she knew was that she had to find Cedarpaw as soon as possible.

Her mind whirled, trying to figure out what exactly was going on. He had seemed normal when they'd gone to bed a few hours ago. Well, not _normal,_ but he'd been acting as he had been for quite a while now. A feeling of fear began to choke her. What if he was kidnapped? Images flashed through her mind; she saw herself in RiverClan's medicine den the day she herself had been taken. What if it was happening all over again, but this time, it was Cedarpaw?

She quickly shook her head as she darted through the trees, leaping over rocks and fallen branches. When it had been her, Blossomstar had made it quite a scene- she'd arrived at camp with most of her warriors and had announced that she would be taking her back to their Clan. Wouldn't anyone have noticed if he'd been taken, especially since he had been sleeping right beside her?

So then, what happened? He simply got up and left? Maybe he went to take a walk and had gotten lost...? No. It wasn't that. It was something much more. Something had to have happened to him, and for some reason, she had the feeling that whatever it was, she couldn't let the rest of the Clan figure it out.

Why was she being so frantic about all this?

_Because he's my friend,_ she told herself. _Friends look out for each other._

_Oh,_ said another voice,_ we both know that he's more than just a friend._

And the sudden realization that she had feelings for Cedarpaw were so strong that she halted, blinking a few times.

"It'll never happen," she said out loud, not even aware that she was speaking. "He'll never think of me like that. We've been friends forever- it's how it's always been. And... he's never been quite the same since his father died. Something changed him. Something's making him pull away from me."

She blinked again, glancing around warily. But no one was there. No one had heard her speak except for an owl flying past, looking for food.

She sighed, clenching her eyes shut as she tried to clear her head. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about this. He was still her friend, and the fact remained that he could be in danger. She had to find him.

With one last quick glance over her shoulder, she bounded off into the darkness and out of sight.

. . .

_Earlier that night_

. . .

Cedarpaw had followed Waterkit so deeply into the forest that he became quite aware that they weren't even in ShadowClan territory anymore. These forests smelled strange and unfamiliar, and the darkness here seemed more prominent. He held back a shudder as another freezing wind blew past.

He considered saying something, asking where exactly it was they were going, why they were so far from camp, why Waterkit was even here in the first place. But another part of him told him that he just had to trust him, that everything would be revealed if he just kept following him.

About thirty seconds later, the two cats suddenly broke through the snowy undergrowth and into a clearing. Cedarpaw glanced around; tall trees surrounded them, their long, twisted branches stretching out over them and blocking out the light of the growing moon. There weren't any scents of other cats; it was clear that no one had been here recently.

Once Waterkit had walked to the center of the clearing, he stopped, his tail twitching. Cedarpaw watched him before taking a small step closer, and then another. He halted, staring at his brother, waiting for him to say or do _something._

Waterkit turned around and looked at Cedarpaw, eyes glowing, a soft smile on his face. And then, Cedarpaw suddenly understood why he had had the feeling that something was wrong.

Waterkit had green eyes.

But the eyes staring at him now... were amber...

. . .

_Present time_

_. . ._

Olivepaw was growing more and more anxious by the moment. She'd already lost track of how long she'd been out here, and yet she still hadn't picked up a single trace of Cedarpaw. Once, she had to hide from a search party that was going by, who seemed to be having just as much luck as she was.

Letting out a growl of frustration, growing colder and more desperate, she kept going, occasionally glancing around her to make sure she was even still in ShadowClan territory.

"Ratpaw, you'd _better_ not tell Minnowstar about this," she muttered under her breath, ears flat as she walked through the snowy darkness.

She tried not to let horrible images of Cedarpaw in mortal danger into her brain, but as time went on, it was getting harder and harder, her imagination growing both more vivid and more grotesque. She let out a shudder, uttering a prayer to StarClan that they'd watch over him.

After she'd nearly given up any hope of finding him, she suddenly stopped in her tracks, blinking. A few foxlengths away, she spotted a trail of pawprints.

Tail raised, she carefully approached them. They seemed to be leading towards the far boundaries of ShadowClan. Unless she was mistaking them for her own, and she was pretty sure she wasn't, hope bubbled up inside of her. They couldn't have been left from one of the cats on the search parties, or else there'd be more of them. She carefully placed her own paw into one of the pawprints; it was about the size of hers. She lifted her head, ears pricked, her heart beginning to race again. These were Cedarpaw's. They _had_ to be Cedarpaw's.

Without a second of hesitation, she began to follow them, her speed picking up until she was running, darting past the trees, her eyes on the tracks.

Where had Cedarpaw been going? Why had he been heading so far away from camp? Why had he been alone? Olivepaw clenched her jaws together, trying to concentrate on following the tracks.

She soon began to slow down, realizing that she had arrived at the ShadowClan border. Beyond here lay unfamiliar woods unclaimed by any Clan. But what if someone, or something, else was out there? Taking a deep breath, she crossed over the border, only praying that it wouldn't snow so that she'd be able to follow her tracks back to camp.

She kept following the prints, and she began to detect traces of Cedarpaw's scent. She felt a small surge of relief; at least now she was sure that he had been here and that she was on the right track.

She walked further and further into the woods; just what had he been _doing_ out here?

A few minutes later, she reached a clump of dead bushes that the pawprints had gone through. Letting out a sharp breath of air, she broke through the undergrowth and entered a clearing.

And then she stopped in her tracks, eyes wide, fur fluffed out as she let out a course scream.

There was blood everywhere, splattered in the snow and even on a few of the tree trunks that surrounded her. In the middle of the clearing was a lump of fur that Olivepaw had no trouble recognizing.

"C-Cedarpaw!" she cried, for a moment unable to move out of fear. But then she ran forward, trembling all over, to his side.

Cedarpaw was laying in the snow, sprawled out on his side. He was covered in deep gashes all over his body- on his side, on his legs and stomach and neck and face... There was one particularly deep scar right over his left eye. He was still bleeding; blood had soaked his fur, causing it to stick together in clumps. His black claws were flexed, but they alone hadn't been stained with red. His sides were moving shallowly; he was alive, miraculously, but he appeared to be unconscious.

"Oh, StarClan," Olivepaw whispered, collapsing at his side. "Cedarpaw... Cedarpaw... What _happened_ to you...?"

When he didn't respond, Olivepaw closed her eyes and pressed her nose to his muzzle, shaking, ears flat against her skull. She prayed that when she'd open them, he'd be all better, that none of this would have happened. Or better yet, that she would wake up, realizing that this had all been a dream.

But when she opened her eyes, he was still there, still bleeding, yet hardly there at all.

She looked desperately around her, heart beating in her ears. What could she do? She had to get someone. She had to find Willowfall or Onespot or Frostpaw... But camp was so far... Could she even get help in time?

But when she heard a very faint movement, she pricked her ears and turned back to Cedarpaw.

His eyes were open. Only half-open, and they had a glazed look to them, as if he were dreaming, but they were still glowing in the bit of moonlight that seeped through the branches overhead, looking calmly at Olivepaw.

"Cedarpaw!" she choked, shaking her head wildly. "Cedarpaw, what... What happened...?"

The tom blinked very softly, eyes still only half-open, a small frown on his bloody face.

And then he looked at her right in the eyes, opened his mouth, and said, very quietly, in a sweet, pure-sounding voice, "Olivepaw..."

Olivepaw stared at him, so shocked that he had said something, that he had said her _name,_ that she couldn't speak for a few moments.

"C-Cedarpaw?" she finally rasped, her voice barely audible.

There were a few moments of silence. Cedarpaw had closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again, looking back up at the she-cat.

And then he murmured, in that same, light voice, "...I killed my father."

A second later, his eyes closed again, he gave a weak cough, and he fell, once again, unconscious.

. . .

_ShadowClan Allegiances_

_Leader: _Minnowstar- A sleek silver-gray she-cat with stripes of dark gray and black. She has a long tail and light blue eyes.

_Deputy:_ Harestep- A very light brown tom with long legs and big amber eyes. (Apprentice- Brokenpaw)

_Medicine Cats:_ Willowfall- A very light gray, almost white, she-cat with blue eyes and long fur. (Apprentice- Frostpaw)

Onespot- A lean black tom with a white spot on his left shoulder and blue eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

_Warriors_

Weaselfoot- A medium-brown tabby tom with long black claws and bright green eyes. (Apprentice- Olivepaw)

Swallowflight- A pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with leaf-green eyes.

Redwhisker- A handsome and muscular orange tabby tom with stunning blue eyes.

Briarclaw- A very dark brown tabby tom with dark amber eyes. (Apprentice- Cedarpaw)

Furzetail- A skinny she-cat with a white pelt and several black patches. She has pretty blue eyes and one almost completely shredded ear. (Apprentice- Ratpaw)

Cinderblaze- A light gray she-cat with a tiny white spot on her back. She has blue eyes. (Apprentice- Littlepaw)

Icewhisker- A large white tom with short fur and green eyes.

Ravenheart- A sleek black tom with amber eyes.

Darkstorm- A lean black tom with blue eyes.

Bluepelt- A beautiful blue-gray she-cat with wide blue eyes and feathery whiskers.

Snowcloud- A pretty she-cat with short white fur and leaf-green eyes.

Spotfur- A black and white tom with amber eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

Bumbleclaw- A light brown tabby tom with short legs and amber eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

Rainspot- A white she-cat with gray flecks and blue eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

Lightclaw- A white she-cat with amber eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

Antfur- A dark gray, almost black tom with green eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

Ferretheart- A solid brown tom with amber eyes. Originally from ThunderClan. (Apprentice- Grasspaw)

_Apprentices_

Cedarpaw- A small tom with a light brown tabby pelt, one white paw, and amber eyes.

Frostpaw- A pretty she-cat with a short white pelt and dazzling blue eyes.

Olivepaw- A dark brown tabby she-cat with pale green eyes.

Ratpaw- A very dark gray, almost black tom with medium-length fur and amber eyes.

Littlepaw- A tiny ginger tabby tom with blue eyes.

Brokenpaw- A blue-gray tom with blue eyes and a twisted paw.

Grasspaw- A gray tom with green eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

_Queens_

Bramblestripe- A very dark brown she-cat with only a few tiny black spots and pale green eyes. (Kits- Olivepaw, Ratpaw, Oakkit)

Lightstream- A very pale ginger she-cat with a white chest and paws. (Kits- Darkkit, Flowerkit)

Grayfeather- A gray she-cat with green eyes, currently expecting. Originally from ThunderClan.

_Elders_

Silvermist- A once-beautiful gray tabby she-cat who is now losing fur in a few places. She has blue eyes.

Clawstrike- A very old white tom with a few ginger patches and dull green eyes.

_RiverClan Allegiances_

Leader: Blossomstar- A sleek white she-cat with one blue eye and one amber eye.

Deputy: Blacktail- A large, muscular tom with sleek black fur and green eyes.

Medicine cats: Bluebird- A gray tabby she-cat with darker gray and black stripes and light blue eyes. (Apprentice- Brightpaw)

Forestwind- A tortoiseshell she-cat with leaf-green eyes. Originally from WindClan. (Apprentice- Jaguarpaw)

Warriors

Sunnyheart- A lean ginger she-cat with blue eyes and long claws.

Thornfang- A lean orange and black tom with amber eyes. (Apprentice- Snakepaw)

Whiskerfur- A light brown she-cat with darker brown stripes and white paws with amber eyes.

Scorchtooth- A solid pale ginger tom with blue eyes.

Doveflight- A white she-cat with blue eyes. (Apprentice- Tanpaw)

Smokestrike- A long-furred dark gray tom with blue eyes.

Applenose- An orange, white, brown and black calico she-cat with green eyes.

Dawnspring- A white she-cat with brown spots and amber eyes.

Mistyflower- A light gray she-cat with blue eyes. Originally from WindClan.

Yelloweyes- A pale ginger tabby she-cat with yellow eyes. Originally from WindClan.

Greengaze- A pale ginger tom with green eyes. Originally from WindClan.

Heronwing- A silver tabby she-cat with a white belly, paws, and tail tip with blue eyes. Originally from WindClan. (Apprentice- Molepaw)

Lilyfrost- A white she-cat with golden patches and blue eyes. Originally from WindClan.

Coaltail- A black tom with amber eyes. Originally from WindClan. (Apprentice- Pouncepaw)

Sagewhisker- A lean, light gray she-cat with green eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

Flaxclaw- A dark gray tabby tom with blue eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

Lilytooth- A small-framed calico she-cat with bright green eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

Waspfang- A sturdy, muscular orange and black tom with several visible battle scars and amber eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

Darkfeather- A sleek black she-cat with blue eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

Waterwing- A handsome silver tabby tom with brilliant blue eyes. Originally from ThunderClan. (Apprentice- Flamepaw)

Goldenfrost- A handsome golden tabby tom with amber eyes. Originally from ThunderClan. (Apprentice- Rushpaw)

Pebblestep- A solid gray tom with blue eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

Kestrelheart- A white and tan she-cat with big amber eyes. Originally from ThunderClan. (Apprentice- Russetpaw)

Apprentices:

Tanpaw- A light tan she-cat with green eyes.

Snakepaw- A dark brown tabby tom with blue eyes.

Brightpaw- A tan she-cat with several white patches and green eyes.

Russetpaw- A small ginger she-cat with green eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

Flamepaw- A larger ginger tom with green eyes and a short tail. Originally from ThunderClan.

Rushpaw- A solid black tom with blue eyes. Originally from ThunderClan.

Jaguarpaw- A sleek, handsome tom with a brown, black and golden spotted pelt and green eyes. Originally from WindClan.

Pouncepaw- A tan, amber-eyed tom with a brown face, paws, ears, and tail tip. Originally from WindClan.

Molepaw- A gray she-cat with a lighter gray face and amber eyes. Originally from WindClan.

Queens:

Maplenose- A calico she-cat with green eyes. (Kits- Nightkit, Willowkit)

Sedgetail- A black and white she-cat with green eyes, currently expecting.. Originally from ThunderClan.

Elders:

Beetleclaw- A dark brown tabby tom with blue eyes.

**AN: Wowowow that was annoying, having to make so many cats xD Lalaalala**

**Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing, it means a lot :)**

**Till next time**

**Pearl**


	27. Chapter 26: Spirits and Secrets Revealed

**Hi :)**

**Recap: Cedarpaw wakes up in the middle of the nigh to find his brother, Waterkit. He follows him into the woods and is led into a clearing, where he realizes that something's wrong. The Waterkit he knew had green eyes, but this one had amber eyes. Meanwhile, Olivepaw leaves in search of Cedarpaw, mulling over her feelings for him. She finds a set of tracks and follows them, leading her to the clearing. She finds Cedarpaw covered in wounds, all alone. The tom tells her that he killed his father before falling unconscious.**

Chapter 26

_Spirits and Secrets Revealed_

[Ratpaw]

"Everyone, get out of the way!" Minnowstar called out to her Clan as they all gathered around the approaching cats, lifting themselves up and trying to get a view of what exactly was going on, their eyes shining in the darkness.

At the top of the clearing came several cats. There was the search party that had been sent out, which consisted of Furzetail, Icewhisker, Bumbleclaw, and Cinderblaze. They all looked quite shocked, none of them saying a word. Behind them came four others- Willowfall, Onespot, Frostpaw, and Olivepaw. Onespot was talking quickly with Willowfall, whose back Cedarpaw was slung over. Frostpaw watched them with worry.

Cedarpaw seemed to be covered in deep gashes all over his body, and he appeared to be unconscious. Some blood was still dripping from his wounds and into the snow. Olivepaw was at Willowfall's side, eyes wide, a look of pure shock on her face.

"Oh, StarClan," murmured a voice. Ratpaw glanced to his left, where Snowcloud was standing. She met his gaze and lowered her voice into a whisper. "What do you think happened?" she asked.

Ratpaw shook his head, at a loss for words. His sister looked like she was about to pass out, too. Just what had happened out there?

The cats made their way down the slope, leaving a trail of blood behind them.

"Let's get him to the medicine den," Willowfall breathed, quickly padding across the clearing, being careful not to let Cedarpaw slip from her back, Onespot right behind her. Frostpaw followed behind them, but paused and turned around when Olivepaw hadn't moved. She just stood there in shock, mouth open, shaking slightly.

"Olivepaw, we need you to come with us," the medicine cat apprentice murmured softly. "We need to ask you about what happened." The white cat then turned and caught Ratpaw's gaze. "Ratpaw, will you come, too? I think she'll feel better if you were there."

The tom nodded, glancing quickly at Snowcloud, who was staring at her sister with a look of contempt. Ratpaw sighed and padded up to Olivepaw, placing his tail on her back and slowly guiding her into the medicine den.

Inside, Cedarpaw already lay spread out over a bed of dead moss, his sides heaving just slightly as he occasionally gasped for air. When Ratpaw had a closer look, he recoiled, slightly, ears flattened. His wounds looked terrible; how could this have happened? They barely even looked like a cat could have been capable of causing them.

Willowfall and Onespot were already at work, pressing cobwebs to the gashes in the apprentice's skin, trying to soak up the blood that was still dripping onto the ground. Frostpaw was chewing up some dried marigold, eyes glittering with worry. Olivepaw was just standing there, staring at Cedarpaw, shaking her head quietly.

"Olivepaw?" mewed Willowfall, raising her head. "Olivepaw, listen to me. I need you to tell us what happened."

But Olivepaw wouldn't speak. She just stood there, her legs shaking. Ratpaw frowned and pressed himself against her, giving her a comforting lick on her shoulder.

Willowfall turned to Ratpaw. "Ratpaw, go to the back and get some poppy seeds. They're right next to the cobwebs."

The tom blinked, surprised. "Wh- Me?"

"Yes, you!" snapped the medicine cat. "Bring me a pawful, and give one to your sister. It'll help her calm down."

Ratpaw nodded and leaped to his paws, heading over to the back of the den. He glanced around through the different herbs until he spotted them- a few dozen poppy seeds, piled onto a dead leaf. Carefully, he grasped the leaf in his jaws and brought it over to Willowfall, placing it at her paws.

Willowfall flicked an ear in thanks and set some to the side. Ratpaw took one and pushed it with his paw towards Olivepaw.

"Olivepaw, eat this," he murmured. "Please. It'll make you feel better."

Though she didn't move for a few moments, she finally bent over and ate the poppy seed, still trembling.

"Now, Olivepaw," said Willowfall again as Frostpaw hastily rubbed marigold onto Cedarpaw's wounds, "I need you to tell me what happened. It's important that you tell us everything you remember so that we can help Cedarpaw. Can you do that for me?"

Ratpaw frowned and glanced at his sister. She looked overwhelmed, and for a moment he thought that she still wouldn't be able to speak. But after a moment, she gave a small nod and began to talk.

"I-I... I went looking for him... I wanted to find him..."

"You went by yourself?" Willowfall mewed as she began to chew up another poultice. Olivepaw looked at her, a frown on her face. For some reason, Ratpaw thought he could sense a flare of dislike in her gaze, and he wondered why. But Olivepaw gave a brief nod.

"He... He was far away from camp," Olivepaw continued in a whisper as she looked at her paws. "...I followed his tracks, there was only one set... I found him... i-in a clearing. He was alone. I-I thought he was..." She broke off, lifting her head as she stared at Cedarpaw in horror, eyes shining brightly with worry.

"Was he awake when you found him?" Willowfall asked quietly.

Olivepaw hesitated before muttering, "No. But he opened his eyes and looked at me... Just for a moment... I tried asking him what was wrong..."

"And did he say anything?" pressed the medicine cat.

Ratpaw thought he saw his sister flinch, but after a moment, she shook her head softly, avoiding everyone's gazes.

"No," she muttered. "He didn't say anything."

"I see," Willowfall mewed quietly, giving Olivepaw a calculating look. "Well, there's one thing I'm certain of; these aren't normal wounds."

All of the apprentices looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Ratpaw asked.

Willowfall looked at him with a frown before turning to Onespot, giving him a small nod. The black tom straightened up, blue eyes glowing and a deep frown on his face, and spoke up for the first time.

"Wounds like these," he said quietly, "...could not have been given by a living cat. It's almost impossible."

There was silence for a few moments before Frostpaw spoke up.

"Y-You mean," she stammered quietly, "that whoever did this to him... is dead...?"

Ratpaw shared a glance with Frostpaw, and the tom saw his own confusion and shock reflected in her blue eyes.

"I can't be sure," Onespot said quietly. "But I don't think that a living cat is capable of giving such injuries. There's something evil about these wounds." Ratpaw exchanged another glance with Frostpaw. "Furthermore," the medicine cat continued, "Olivepaw said that she found Cedarpaw alone, and that there had only been one pair of tracks." The tom lowered his voice, his eyes darkening. "Spirits aren't known to leave behind tracks in the living world."

There was another silence, longer this time. Frostpaw and Ratpaw were staring at each other, eyes wide. The tom glanced over at Olivepaw; something was sparking in her eyes, as if she understood something.

"W-Well," Ratpaw finally said, flattening his ears, "he'll be alright, won't he?"

When Willowfall and Onespot exchanged glances and frowns, Ratpaw felt a twinge of anxiety.

Willowfall let out a long sigh and closed her eyes, waiting a few moments before saying quietly, "I don't think that we'll be able to heal these wounds. They're too powerful."

_"What?"_ Olivepaw hissed, suddenly narrowing her eyes to slits, ears flattened. "You're just _giving up?_ You're going to let him _die,_ is that it?"

"Olivepaw-" Ratpaw began.

"Don't touch me!" she growled, taking a step away from her brother, still glaring at Willowfall. "You're the medicine cat, you should know what to do!"

"Stop!" Onespot cried, tail lifted. "Just because _we_ can't heal him doesn't mean that nobody can."

Olivepaw blinked, relaxing just slightly.

"What do you mean by that?" she growled. "That we let _StarClan_ heal him?"

"That," Onespot said with a flick of his tail, "is _exactly_ what I mean."

All three apprentices stared at him. Willowfall had closed her eyes and was muttering something beneath her breath.

"And how do we do that?" Frostpaw breathed, shaking her head. "Bring him to the Moonpool?"

Onespot turned to Frostpaw, smiling slightly. "You're a smart cat. That's exactly what we're going to do. We have to take Cedarpaw to the Moonpool and speak to StarClan ourselves, asking them to heal him. Usually StarClan won't intervene with the living if it has to do with a life or death situation, but this time is different. I don't know how Cedarpaw could have gotten in contact with a spirit, but it's something that StarClan needs to know about if they don't already." He flicked his tail, looking around at everyone with a nod. "Right, then. Shall we all be off?"

Ratpaw blinked, looking at him. "I'm allowed to come?"

"Of course," the black tom said, looking somewhat surprised. "I think you have the right. Don't you, Willowfall?" The she-cat glanced at Ratpaw; they held each other's gazes for a moment before the medicine cat nodded and looked away.

"Right," Onespot mewed. "I'll take Cedarpaw on my back. Let's go."

"Wait," Willowfall said quickly. All heads turned to her; she flattened her ears. "I... I told Lightstream that I would check on her kits when I got back from the Moonpool tonight. She says that Darkkit has been coughing. I... I think I'd better stay here and make sure that everything's alright."

Ratpaw stared at her, almost positive that that wasn't the real reason for wanting to stay behind. He knew that Willowfall had killed Graystar; perhaps the medicine cat was worried that everyone would find out about it if they were to all go and see StarClan together.

"...Alright," Onespot said after a moment of hesitation. "I suppose we'll be able to get him there and back in one piece by ourselves." He straightened up. "Right. I'll take Cedarpaw on my back. Let's go."

After being surrounded by a crowd of questioning cats upon leaving the medicine den, and after explaining to Minnowstar what was going on, the four cats departed into the dark forest, Cedarpaw hung limply over Onespot's back.

Onespot took the lead; Ratpaw and Frostpaw walked close together, and Olivepaw followed along a bit further back. Ratpaw kept glancing over his shoulder at his sister, whose ears were flattened, eyes narrowed slightly as she stared at the ground.

"It must have been a real shock for her," Frostpaw murmured quietly to the tom. "Finding her best friend nearly dead... It's horrible. I don't understand how this could have happened."

"Yeah," Ratpaw muttered, frowning. Glancing up at the she-cat, he whispered, "Frostpaw, do you think it's true?"

She blinked. "Think what's true?"

"What Onespot said," he murmured. "About some sort of spirit doing this to Cedarpaw. That it couldn't have been a living cat."

Frostpaw frowned, looking out into the distance as they walked. "It seems unlikely," she meowed quietly. "Spirits aren't supposed to be able to harm the living in any way. But think about what Olivepaw said- there was only one set of tracks..."

"Maybe she was mistaken," Ratpaw reasoned. "Maybe it was a rogue who came from the opposite direction of Cedarpaw."

"But do you remember what else Onespot said?" Frostpaw whispered. "That he had never seen wounds like that dealt by a living cat. That there was something evil about them. That's why he and Willowfall decided that they couldn't heal him themselves, that we had to go to the Moonpool and get StarClan's help."

Ratpaw frowned, saying nothing. He didn't want to believe what she was saying. The ghost of a dead cat, returning to earth and nearly killing a living cat? How was that possible?

"I'm gonna check on Olivepaw," he whispered after a moment. Frostpaw looked at him, worry in her eyes, but she nodded, flicking her tail over his shoulder. Smiling weakly, he turned and padded over to where his sister was walking.

"Hey," he said as they walked side by side. Olivepaw didn't even look at him. Ratpaw sighed, nudging her lightly. "Olivepaw, he's gonna be alright. StarClan will heal him." Again, no response. Ratpaw tried again. "Olivepaw, is what you said really all that happened? Did you see anything else that you didn't tell the others ab-"

"No!" hissed Olivepaw with such a sudden fierceness that Ratpaw jumped. Olivepaw let out a long sigh. "Sorry," she muttered, turning away.

"It's fine."

"But I told Willowfall and Onespot everything."

Ratpaw narrowed his eyes slightly, something in her voice hinting to him that she wasn't telling the truth.

"Olivepaw-"

"I'm fine," she said bluntly, and Ratpaw could tell that trying to get through to her would be a lost cause. He sighed; giving her a quick lick on the ear, he broke into a trot and caught up to Frostpaw.

"How is she?" the medicine apprentice asked quietly.

Ratpaw sighed and shrugged. "Not great, as you could expect." Frostpaw frowned.

"Cedarpaw will be alright. I know it."

Ratpaw hoped she was right.

It wasn't long before the four cats broke out of the forest and stepped out onto the moors, the halfmoon glowing brightly. As they made their way through the snowy grass and towards the Moonpool, the tom turned to Frostpaw.

"Hey, I forgot, how was the Moonpool?" He was surprised to see the she-cat visibly flinch at the question and turn to stare at him with wide blue eyes. He blinked. "Frostpaw?"

"O-Oh," she stammered, ears flattened. "It... Yeah. It was fine."

Ratpaw stared at her and raised an eyebrow. Frostpaw sighed.

"Ratpaw," she murmured, her voice suddenly low and serious, "I saw something tonight. When I was there. I... I don't know what it means. Ratpaw, if I tell you what I saw, do you promise to keep it a secret?"

He blinked again, staring at her, but nodded.

"Of course."

Frostpaw smiled faintly before glancing nervously at Onespot; he appeared to be struggling a bit with Cedarpaw but he kept leading the way. The she-cat turned back to Ratpaw.

"I don't know what exactly any of it means," she whispered; there was enough worry in her expression to concern Ratpaw. "But there was a fire. And cats... were dying, and fighting. Everywhere. I felt this wind, then suddenly I was underwater- and I saw a cat. It was a gray tabby, sinking... And then Snowcloud was there, I think she was attacking me... And I saw Willowfall before I woke up... Ratpaw?"

Ratpaw was now staring at her, amber eyes wide. A gray tabby, sinking... Graystar had been found washed up on shore... So _that's_ how Willowfall had killed her.

He shook his head quickly, trying to clear that revelation out of his mind. Frostpaw was looking at him worriedly.

"Snowcloud was attacking you?" he echoed. "And there was a fire? Do you think it's a sign?"

"That's the thing," Frostpaw said quietly. "I can't tell if it was a sign... or if it was telling the future."

"Well, maybe it was just a normal dream," Ratpaw said quickly, eager to ease her anxiety.

But Frostpaw shook her head. "I had just drunk water from the Moonpool," she mumbled. "That dream was sent by StarClan, I know it." She sighed, shaking her head again. "Maybe Willowfall had the same dream. She wanted me to tell her about mine, but I haven't had the chance yet." Ratpaw nodded stiffly, knowing it was more than likely that Willowfall hadn't received any dreams from StarClan for moons.

Making their way up the stream that gurgled softly beside them, they soon caught sight of the Moonpool, which still glowed silver. Ratpaw looked at it in wonder, having never been here before. As he followed after Frostpaw and Onespot, he found that his paws fit into imprints that must have been left there ages ago.

The cats gathered around the water; Ratpaw bent over and saw his own reflection in the bright glow.

"What do we do now, Onespot?" whispered Frostpaw. The black tom turned to her, blinking slowly.

"I've seen this happen one other time," he said quietly, looking out into the distance as if lost in memories. "When I had just become an apprentice. One of our warriors, who would have been an elder before long, was found with similar wounds to Cedarpaw's. We- my old mentor and I- took him here."

"And was he okay?" Ratpaw mewed, tail twitching. Onespot looked at him for a few moments before answering.

"StarClan healed him," he said. "But a few days later, he became insane. We found him by a tree with a broken neck. We think he jumped off."

There was an uncomfortable silence; Ratpaw looked nervously over at Olivepaw, but she appeared not to have heard. She was looking in the starry water, a look of sullen contemplation on her face.

"That... That isn't going to happen to Cedarpaw, is it?" Frostpaw asked, lowering her voice and glancing over at Olivepaw. Onespot flicked an ear.

"We can only hope not. Now, help me place him into the water."

Ratpaw and Frostpaw eased Cedarpaw off of the medicine cat's back, placing him on his side in the pool so that only his head lay above water, resting against the stone. Through the water, Ratpaw could see that his sides were heaving faintly, and though Willowfall and Onespot had tried to clean them, a few of his wounds still appeared to be bleeding. A shiver ran through Ratpaw's spine as a cold wind swept by.

"Step back," whispered Onespot, and he and the apprentices stepped back, standing at the edge of the water.

They waited a moment, and just as Ratpaw was considering asking what was supposed to be happening, the water began to... change. Narrowing his eyes, the apprentice saw, to his astonishment, that the glow of the water was growing brighter and brighter. Specks of what seemed like starlight appeared in the air and fell softly down into the water as the color went from silver to a bright yellowish-gold. Ratpaw watched, mouth open, unable to take his eyes off of whatever it was he was seeing.

And if that wasn't enough, the next moment Ratpaw could have sworn he'd heard the faintest of voices. He saw a faint silver shape blur around the pool, followed by another, and another, until there were so many that they all seemed to merge together. Though at first indistinct, they slowly began to form the unmistakable shapes of cats. Soon, their features grew more and more defined, and a second later, they abruptly stopped circling the Moonpool and stood all around them.

In awe and feeling as if he were in a dream, he looked around at the spirits surrounding them. There was a large, black she-cat with glowing green eyes that he had never seen before, but he had an inkling as to who this was. Bramblestripe had told him about Shadowstar, the founder of ShadowClan, and this cat seemed to fit the description. Beside her stood an equally large orange tom with amber eyes and white paws.

Looking around, he saw a few other cats he didn't recognize; he thought some of them must have been former leaders and medicine cats. He was somewhat surprised not to see Reedfur, Cedarpaw's father. But his ears pricked when he saw Owlwing standing among the spirits; when they locked gazes, the she-cat smiled kindly at him.

"Greetings, Onespot," the large ginger tabby said in a deep voice, a serious frown creased on his face.

Onespot bowed his head so low it touched the ground. "Hello, Thunderstar."

"Nice to see you again, Onespot," said a skinny old tom with brown and white fur and a crooked smile. He had been ThunderClan's leader before Honeystar. Who, Ratpaw noticed, wasn't here, either. She must have been busy.

"You as well, Brackenstar," the medicine cat mewed, bowing again.

"I see you brought a guest," chimed a mousy little black she-cat, inspecting Cedarpaw from where she stood. "This is just like when I took you here when you were an apprentice to cure Birchstep, isn't it? Shame what happened to him, though."

"Olivepaw here found him like this," Onespot explained, glancing over at the tabby she-cat who kept her eyes on Cedarpaw. "We knew that they weren't normal wounds.

"We brought him here to ask you to heal him," Onespot continued, looking around at all the StarClan cats. "And to ask you if my theory was right. That these wounds didn't come from a living cat."

"Unfortunately, you _are_ right," squeaked Brackenstar, peering forward and shaking his head. "Somehow, a cat must have gone from the spirit world into the living world, and had so much power there that they were able to harm this apprentice."

"But who could it have been?" breathed Frostpaw for the first time since the spirits had appeared. "Who would have done this to him...?"

Judging from the way the StarClan cats began to exchange glances, Ratpaw had a pretty good feeling that they knew just who it was who had done this.

Then, a cat that seemed to have been lurking further back spoke up in a loud, scratchy voice. "I see you didn't bring Willowfall with you. Why's that, I wonder?"

Ratpaw and the others shifted their gazes to see a scrawny gray tabby she-cat with cold blue eyes, looking at them with disdain.

The tom heard a small squeal beside him; he looked over to see Frostpaw staring at the cat with wide eyes.

"That's her!" she squeaked, probably louder than she'd meant to. "That's the cat I saw drown in my dream!"

"Frostpaw, what are you talking about?" whispered Onespot quickly, ears flattened and clearly worried that they would upset the spirits.

"Ah, yes," the old gray tabby croaked, her old eyes twinkling, a sneer on her face. "That was me the night I died."

"Then... Then you're Graystar," mewed Ratpaw, blinking. "Minnowstar's mother."

"Graystar, settle down!" hissed Shadowstar suddenly, lashing her tail impatiently. "Now is not the time!"

Graystar ignored her. "So, Onespot," she continued, seemingly gasping for air, "what _is_ the reason that Willowfall isn't here...?"

Onespot looked more puzzled than anything. "She stayed behind to check up on Lightstream's-"

"Really?" Graystar sneered in mock surprise. "I rather think that it's because she didn't want to see _me-"_

"Graystar!" snarled Shadowstar, louder this time. _"Later!"_

"What, you don't think that these cats should know the truth about their _beloved_ medicine cat?" Graystar shot back, her fur fluffing up. The other StarClan cats shifted uncomfortably, clearly not sure if they should step in or not.

"What are you _talking_ about?" breathed Frostpaw, shaking her head. "What's Willowfall got to do with any of this?"

Graystar turned her narrowed eyes onto Frostpaw. She looked so much like she was about to attack that Ratpaw took a step closer to Frostpaw, their pelts now brushing against the other's. The two she-cats stared at each other for a long time.

But for some reason, something must have changed Graystar's mind. After a long silence, she finally took a step back, lowering her head.

"You'll find out soon enough, anyway," she muttered. "You all will."

"Anyway," Brackenstar quickly croaked to cover up what would have been an awkward pause, "your request has been fulfilled, Onespot."

"So you cured him?" the medicine cat mewed, a smile breaking from his lips, the first time he must have smiled all night.

Brackenstar dipped his head. "Look."

Onespot, Ratpaw, and Frostpaw all turned their heads- Olivepaw had already been looking- to where Cedarpaw lay in the water. Somehow, the bleeding had miraculously stopped, and his deepest wounds had closed up. Now there remained only a few faint scars.

"And he'll be alright, won't he?" Olivepaw asked, the first time she'd spoken up since they'd got here. Her ears were flattened against her skull. "He won't be like Birchstep and go insane...?"

"He shouldn't, no," squeaked the black she-cat who had been Onespot's mentor. "But Onespot will keep an eye on him, won't you, Onespot? He should be waking up soon."

"Thank you," murmured Onespot, bowing his head again. "All of you."

"May the stars light your path," croaked Brackenstar, and with that, the glowing spirits slowly began to fade, their features blurring away until they had disappeared.

There was a silence for a moment. Olivepaw hesitantly crept forward to where Cedarpaw still lay in the pool. His breathing looked as if it had returned to normal, but he was still unconscious.

"Cedarpaw?" she whispered, and Ratpaw thought he could see a very faint twitch of his tail.

"Let's get him back to camp," Onespot mewed, and Frostpaw and Ratpaw helped the apprentice onto his back.

They traveled back through the moors, mostly silent. This time, Olivepaw was at Onespot's side, periodically glancing over at Cedarpaw who lay slumped over the larger tom's back. Frostpaw and Ratpaw trailed behind, side by side. The she-cat was looking worriedly at the ground, ears flattened.

"What's wrong?" Ratpaw asked quietly, nudging her lightly. "Cedarpaw's going to be okay."

"I know," she muttered. "It's just... What was Graystar saying? About Willowfall?" Ratpaw fell silent, whiskers twitching. How could he tell her what Willowfall had done without crushing her admiration for her mentor? And what if Willowfall found out that he'd told her secret? He blinked a few times. _"I won't speak to anyone of you and the ThunderClan she-cat. In return, I expect that you won't tell anyone anything I just told you."_ That's what Willowfall had said. But Ratpaw's relationship with Russetpaw had ended, and he realized with a jolt that nothing was stopping him from revealing to the entire Clan just what it was that Willowfall had done.

"Ratpaw?" Frostpaw meowed, jerking the tom from his thoughts. "What is it?"

"...Nothing," he muttered quietly. "I'm... I'm just tired."

When they finally got back to camp, the cats who were still awake bombarded them with questions, asking what happened at the Moonpool and if Cedarpaw would be okay. Snowcloud begged Ratpaw to give him every detail, but he promised her that he'd tell her in the morning. Though disappointed, she told him she would hold him to that promise.

When Onespot, Frostpaw, Ratpaw and Olivepaw returned to the medicine den, Willowfall was sorting through herbs. She lifted her head and waved her tail in greeting.

"So?" she asked as Onespot placed Cedarpaw down in a bed of moss. "How did it go?"

"He should be alright," Onespot mewed, sitting down and putting no effort into stifling a yawn. But he looked at her in an odd way that Ratpaw had never seen before; maybe he had thought about what Graystar had said and wondered what she'd meant.

"...Ratpaw?" came a voice. The tom turned around, seeing Olivepaw look at him with a serious expression on her face. "Can I talk to you?"

The tom nodded, seeing that Frostpaw had gone to talk with Willowfall and Onespot. The two siblings slipped out of the den; though it was still dark, the very first traces of sunrise were beginning to show.

They sat down at the edge of camp, away from anyone else. Olivepaw sat down and stared darkly at her paws, ears flattened.

"Olivepaw, what's wrong?" Ratpaw pressed, growing concerned.

The she-cat closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a long sigh.

"I-I... I've kept it a secret for so long," she murmured, opening her eyes to look at him. "But... I feel like I need to tell someone. I need to tell _you._"

Ratpaw stared at her, now almost scared.

"You can tell me anything, Olivepaw."

She nodded stiffly before quickly glancing around to make sure no one was listening. She lowered her voice.

"You know how Graystar was talking about Willowfall? I... I know what she was talking about."

Ratpaw stared at her, mouth falling open. This wasn't what he'd expected to hear. But how did she find out? How many _other_ cats knew?

"Olivepaw, I already know," Ratpaw breathed, shaking his head. "I've been wanting to tell you for days. But she... She told me that if I told anyone, she'd tell me about me and... a she-cat I'd been meeting with."

"Russetpaw," Olivepaw muttered. "I know. Frostpaw told me." She shook her head quickly. "But that isn't important. Ratpaw, you _know?_ About what Willowfall did?"

"Yes," Ratpaw rasped, heart beating faster for some reason. "Olivepaw, how did you find out?"

"I saw it," his sister mumbled darkly, glaring at the ground. "I was there when it happened."

There was a long pause.

"...Olivepaw," Ratpaw said slowly, "we weren't _alive_ when this happened."

She looked at him, nonplussed.

"It happened a little over a moon ago. What do you _mean,_ we weren't alive?"

There was a longer pause, and Ratpaw's eyes widened, having just come to another shocking revelation.

"Olivepaw," he said slowly and quietly, "I think we're talking about two different things."

They stared at each other for a few moments.

"I'm talking about when Willowfall killed Emberheart," Olivepaw said.

Ratpaw gaped at her, his theory having been confirmed.

"So that's what happened," he whispered, looking up at the brightening sky and shaking his head. "She didn't really drown? Willowfall was the one who killed her?"

"Yes," Olivepaw said in a low voice. "I was there. I saw it happen. They were arguing, they started yelling, and all of a sudden they were fighting... When I looked over, Emberheart was dead. I... I don't know if Willowfall saw me or not, but on my way back, I slipped in the stream and woke up in the medicine den. Willowfall said she'd found me there while she was collecting roots. But I know what I saw, Ratpaw. _Willowfall killed Emberheart."_

Ratpaw clenched his teeth together, unable to speak for a moment. Were he and his sister the only ones in the whole Clan who knew what their own medicine cat had done? She'd already killed two cats, what if she was going to kill more?

"That isn't what Graystar was talking about tonight," Ratpaw muttered. "She was talking about her _own_ death. She didn't just fall in the lake by accident, Olivepaw."

The she-cat stared at him, looking bewildered.

"You're saying that Willowfall killed _Graystar,_ too?"

"And everyone thought she'd slipped off the dock by mistake," Ratpaw whispered, nodding.

Neither of them spoke for a few moments. Then, Olivepaw hesitantly mewed, "Ratpaw... Should we _tell_ anyone...?"

"Not yet," the tom replied quietly. "Who would believe two apprentices? Graystar... Graystar said that everyone would find out soon enough. Let's keep this a secret for now and see how everything plays out."

"Alright," Olivepaw mumbled, getting to her paws. "I'm... I'm glad I got to tell you, Ratpaw. It's been hard, keeping it in like this."

"Same here," said the tom, still shaking his head in shock.

Olivepaw returned to the medicine den, leaving Ratpaw sitting outside by himself, lost in his own thoughts. Finally, when the sun was just starting to rise, he silently made his way to the apprentices' den where he would try, and fail, to sleep.

**Thanks for reading, everyone :D**

**TNT**

**Pearly!**


	28. Chapter 27: For the Good of the Clans

**Sorry I haven't updated in forever! D: I was at camp for two weeks, and then I started school so I've been busy as bricks... I'm going to be pretty busy for a while with lots of homework, and applying for colleges and stuff like that, too. And I'm in a play and we have rehearsal almost every night *dead* Thanks for your patience!**

**Recap: Everyone's freaking out because Olivepaw found Cedarpaw half-dead way outside ShadowClan territory. Onespot and Willowfall tell them that it had to have been the work of a spirit to cause such wounds. Onespot suggests they take him to the Moonpool, so he goes with Ratpaw, Olivepaw, and Frostpaw. Frostpaw tells Ratpaw about the visions she saw at the Moonpool. When they get there, they see many StarClan cats, including Graystar, who almost reveals that Willowfall had killed her. They heal Cedarpaw and say he'll wake up soon. Later, Olivepaw and Ratpaw tell each other what they know about Willowfall- that she had killed Graystar and Emberheart.**

**Thanks guys heartheart!**

Chapter 27

_For the Good of the Clans_

[Snowcloud]

The snow was falling fast and hard that day; the white she-cat walking through the woods let out a shiver, ears flattened. She and Ratpaw had agreed that they'd go on a walk together to catch up and so he could finally tell her what had happened with Cedarpaw at the Moonpool a few days ago.

"So, what's the deal with him, anyway?" mewed Snowcloud as the two of them walked together towards nowhere in particular. "Why'd he just run off like that?"

Ratpaw frowned, dark gray fur ruffling in the wind. "No one really knows why. I guess everyone's more concerned with the fact that he _did."_

"And Onespot said that someone _dead_ did this to him?" she asked, repeating what he'd told her. "Doesn't that seem a little weird?"

"That's what I thought at first, too," Ratpaw sighed. "But when we went to the Moonpool, they pretty much confirmed it."

"I swear, it's one thing after another with that tom," she mewed, lashing her tail. "First his brother... Then his father... Then when he collapsed two moons ago, his fight with Sunnyheart, and now this?"

"Well, try to imagine how _you'd_ feel," Ratpaw mewed. "What if Frostpaw and Furzetail died? You'd never be the same after that."

Snowcloud frowned deeply at the mention of her sister, and Ratpaw noticed.

"Snowcloud, come _on._ Would you just make up with her already?" he sighed, exasperated. "I don't even get what she did wrong!"

"You wouldn't understand," the warrior muttered under her breath. Ratpaw looked at her.

"Try me."

Snowcloud glanced at him and smiled faintly. She appreciated the concern, but she knew that she couldn't tell him even if she wanted to. She had promised that she wouldn't.

"Just... Try not to trust her too much, okay?" she said quietly and seriously. "If something's wrong, come to me, not her. Please."

Ratpaw raised an eyebrow.

"It seems to me like you're jealous just because you're not my only friend."

Snowcloud stared at him, eyes wide.

"Ratpaw, that isn't it at all!"

"No, I get it," he continued. "It's because Frostpaw's your sister, and you think I'm replacing you. But you don't have to worry, Snowcloud. You're one of my best friends."

Snowcloud was at a loss for words. She wanted to smack him across the face and tell him how completely wrong about all of this he was, but somehow she didn't think that would make things any better. She stopped walking, a frown on her face, for some reason suddenly feeling miserable. Ever since she'd found out about the prophecy, everything had been different, and she realized with a jolt how happier she'd been before.

_Things have changed,_ she told herself. _It's as simple as that._

"Snowcloud, what's wrong?" Ratpaw mewed, coming to a halt and looking at her with concern. "I didn't mean to upset you-"

"It's nothing," the she-cat murmured, forcing a smile. "Let's keep going. I want to hear more about what happened at the Moonpool."

But even as he described how the StarClan cats had appeared out of nowhere and had begun to circle them, Snowcloud was only faintly listening. Her thoughts had wandered back to two nights ago, when she'd finally discovered what StarClan had wanted her to. What she had been about to discover the day they'd found Leo in the forest.

The red poppies had been blowing in the wind that day, that night, that dream. The moment she saw them, hope had flared inside of her, remembering the promise she'd been given, that she was about to uncover a secret that only a few other living cats knew. She'd stood alone for a few moments, the green grass spotted with dew, the tall trees rustling, the white sky as cloudless as always. She'd flicked an ear, looking around. A crow cawed and flew overhead; a black feather fell softly in the air, landing a few taillengths away from where she stood.

She'd felt a shiver going down her spine, and she'd wondered why; it wasn't cold.

A moment later, she'd heard faint pawsteps behind her, and her tail lifted. She turned, expecting to see the tom, but instead saw the ginger she-cat that she'd now met so often in her dreams, the she-cat that she could talk to, the she-cat that would listen to her and never judge her. A she-cat that was, she had realized that night, probably one of her best friends. Of course, there was Ratpaw, but Snowcloud could never really tell him everything she had to say without thinking she was crazy or trying to convince her she was wrong. _This_ cat would never do that. She contemplated how pathetic it was that one of her best friends was dead.

"Hey," Snowcloud had breathed with a smile, bounding over to where the spirit was standing. The ghost had smiled kindly back at her, bowing her head slightly.

"Hello again, Snowcloud," she'd mewed, the soft smile never leaving her face. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to reach you for a few days, I've been busy."

"With what?" Snowcloud had chimed, tilting her head in curiosity. But the spirit laughed slightly, shaking her head.

"Nothing you need to worry about right now. Right now, you need to learn what you were promised you would learn."

The white she-cat could hardly contain the excited grin that erupted from her face. She nodded eagerly, taking a step closer.

"Tell me."

And the spirit had. Scenes had flashed before Snowcloud's eyes as she'd watch, frozen, at what was unfolding in front of her. She'd asked the spirit if what she had seen was really true, and they had responded yes, it was, every piece of it, that any cat in StarClan could confirm it. She'd said with with such emotion that Snowcloud had believed her, all of her doubts having been washed away.

She'd awoken from the dream; it had been the middle of the night, and she couldn't fall back to sleep. What she had just learned, what she had just witnessed kept replaying in her mind over and over. After most of the shock had went away, she'd begun to feel a string of emotions- fright, disbelief, even hatred... She had asked the spirit if she should tell anyone, and they'd said no, not yet, but soon. And since Snowcloud had had that dream, she hadn't been able to get it over her head.

"...Snowcloud?" Ratpaw mewed, causing the she-cat to flinch.

"What?" she snapped, much louder than she'd meant to. The tom raised an eyebrow.

"You were about to walk into a tree." He sighed. "Snowcloud, what's _up_ with you? Were you listening to a word I said?"

"Sorry," she quickly mewed, smiling feebly. "Yeah, I was listening. And I didn't mean to snap. Please continue."

Ratpaw stared at her with skepticism, clearly aware that _something_ was wrong, but he didn't say anything and kept talking about what StarClan had told him and the others at the Moonpool. Snowcloud tried her hardest to pay attention.

They continued on, the snow never seeming to lighten. After a while, Snowcloud let out a shiver, glancing over at Ratpaw.

"Remind me again who's bright idea it was to take a walk in this weather?"

The tom looked at her, whiskers twitching with amusement.

"Yours," he said with a faint purr, though he was shivering himself.

"Well, my idea kind of sucked, didn't it?" mewed Snowcloud, ears flattening as another harsh wind swept by. "Let's start heading back. Besides, I'm starving."

Ratpaw frowned at this. "I wouldn't count on getting anything to eat any time soon. You know how low prey's running, and the elders and queens always get it first. I'm getting worried. Have you noticed how bony everyone's been getting? And just this morning Olivepaw was telling me she felt dizzy..."

Snowcloud's tail twitched, a deep frown on her face. She was worried, too. What if the same thing that happened to Icepaw were to happen to anyone else? And the harshness of the cold wasn't making it any easier.

"Well, you never know," she said, "maybe we'll find some prey on the way back to camp. Maybe then we... Ratpaw, are you _listening?"_

But the dark gray tom had stopped in his tracks and was staring at something in the distance. Sensing trouble, Snowcloud halted, too, and followed his gaze. About a dozen foxlengths away was the RiverClan border, and lying on the ground was...

"Somebody's there!" whispered Ratpaw urgently. "Someone's hurt! Let's go!"

The two cats ran forward, dashing through the trees that were beginning to thin out. When they reached the border, they froze.

Lying sprawled out in the snow was a tom with a pelt of black, brown and golden spots. Though normally handsome, he now looked sickly and weak; his usually glossy pelt was paler and brittler, even beginning to fall out in a few places. His half-closed green eyes were dull, his breathing was shallow and uneven, the tip of his tail was twitching restlessly. He gazed up at the newcomers; he opened his mouth as if to speak, but instead a violent cough came out.

"Jaguarpaw!" explained Snowcloud, immediately recognizing the medicine cat apprentice that had once been in WindClan. "Jaguarpaw, what's wrong?"

"He's sick," Ratpaw murmured, eyes shining worriedly. "But how did he end up so far from RiverClan camp...?"

"Who cares?" Snowcloud snapped. "If we leave him out here, he'll freeze to death for sure. We have to take him back to ShadowClan camp." She took a step forward, but Ratpaw blocked her way.

"Wait, this could be a trap," Ratpaw whispered. "What if there's a RiverClan patrol just waiting for us to take one step into their territory before they ambush us?"

"It doesn't smell like anyone else has been here recently," protested the she-cat. "C'mon, Ratpaw, we have to get him to camp. Help me lift him onto my back."

Though the tom seemed hesitant, he complied and managed to heave the sick tom onto Snowcloud's back. The she-cat struggled with keeping him up; she swallowed and looked at Ratpaw, giving him a nod.

"See? No ambush. Now c'mon. We have to get him back."

The two cats made their way back towards camp in complete silence, for they were both occupied with their own thoughts. Snowcloud's eyes were narrowed slightly. What was Jaguarpaw doing so far from his own camp? Did he run away? But why? They would just have to take him to Onespot, Willowfall, and Frostpaw... She clenched her jaw so tightly that it hurt.

The familiar scent of camp soon wafted past, and the young cats stopped only when they reached the top of the shallow hollow.

Only a few cats remained outside in the wind and snow, and the ones who were immediately lifted their heads in confusion. When they saw that Jaguarpaw was lying over Snowcloud's back, several- Cinderblaze, Brokenpaw, Littlepaw, Briarclaw, and a white she-cat named Lightclaw who had been from ThunderClan- ran forward to get a closer look as they began shouting out questions.

"Who's that?" squeaked Littlepaw, nudging his brother before turning his wide eyes back on Jaguarpaw.

"Is he dead?" asked Brokenpaw, probably louder than he'd meant.

"Snowcloud, Ratpaw!" breathed Cinderblaze as she ran forward to meet them, Briarclaw and Lightclaw close behind. "What happened? Is... Is that_ Jaguarpaw?"_

"We found him lying by the RiverClan border," Ratpaw quickly explained. "We need to-"

"What's going on?" called a loud voice; heads turned to see Willowfall emerge from the medicine den, Onespot and Frostpaw at her side. A moment later, Olivepaw emerged, too- she must have been inside with Cedarpaw, who had awakened a few days ago but who Willowfall had insisted stay in the den for a bit longer.

"...-get him to the medicine den," finished Ratpaw. He glanced at Snowcloud; "C'mon, let's tell them what happened."

Pushing through the crowd that had suddenly appeared out of curiosity, the two cats followed the medicine cats into their den. Inside, Cedarpaw was asleep.

"Snowcloud, what happened?" mewed Frostpaw anxiously as her sister lay Jaguarpaw down on a bed of moss. Snowcloud's ear twitched, and she could see Ratpaw watching her from the corner of her eye, but she didn't meet his gaze.

"We found him like this," Ratpaw explained before Snowcloud could. "We were out for a walk and found him lying at the RiverClan border."

Jaguarpaw let out another violent cough, his whole body trembling slightly now.

Willowfall exchanged a glance with Onespot.

"...It's greencough," the medicine she-cat muttered. "Bluebird mentioned it at halfmoon. This is a bad case of it, too." Her eyes darkened and suddenly flared with something close to fury. "I bet they did this. RiverClan. I bet they left him to die out there."

"But we can cure him, right?" Frostpaw asked anxiously. "He'll be fine, right?"

Willowfall and Onespot exchanged another glance. Noticing this, Snowcloud and Ratpaw shared their own.

"...We'll do everything we can for him," Willowfall said after a few long moments. But the expression she wore seemed to suggest that all hope had already been lost.

. . .

The soft, warm wind blew gently, just as it always did, ruffling the thousands of bright red poppies, crows cawing and flying through the white sky overhead.

A ginger tabby she-cat soundlessly emerged from the tall, swaying trees; she seemed to be as light as a feather. She paused, her fur ruffling and her pale green eyes scanned the area until they at last fell upon a pretty white she-cat- Snowcloud. The ginger cat smiled softly, eyes shining, and took a few steps forward, approaching her.

The white-furred warrior pricked her ears at the sound of her pawsteps and turned, a huge smile on her face, tail lifted happily.

"There you are, Emberheart!" Snowcloud purred before her bright expression began to show hints of annoyance. "I've been waiting here forever. What took you so long?"

Irritation bubbled inside of Emberheart, and she wanted nothing more than to claw this cat across the face, at the very least. But she held back a growl or a snarl and, with much effort, smiled even wider, laughing lightly. It was almost amazing how much Snowcloud adored her, and how much she thought Emberheart adored her in return. She had had to put up with this for weeks- pretending to like Snowcloud, be kind to her, listen to her complaining and whine just like a bratty little kit who didn't get something they wanted. And how _stupid_ she was! But it would all be worth it in the end, Emberheart kept telling herself. She only had to keep this act up for a little bit longer. Just a little bit longer...

"Sorry, Snowcloud," Emberheart purred, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her legs. "I was talking to someone."

"Who?" the white cat asked at once, cocking her head.

"Never mind that," Emberheart mewed, pausing to lick a paw. She glanced at Snowcloud. "You know what the plan is, right? What you must do at the Gathering next week?"

A frown fell on Snowcloud's face, but a look of resolution crossed her features. She bowed her head.

"Yes," she murmured. She looked down at her paws, hear ears flattened. She seemed almost sad. But she said nothing more.

Emberheart nodded in approval. "Good. Snowcloud, I know you may be scared," she said gently, causing the other she-cat to lift her head hesitantly. "But know that what you're going to do, everything you're going to do, is for the good of the Clans, and that StarClan is with you."

Snowcloud smiled slightly, seemingly a bit reassured.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks, Emberheart."

"Of course."

And then, slowly but surely, Snowcloud began to disappear. A faint light surrounded her as her shape grew fainter and fainter until she had completely vanished. She had woken up.

Emberheart remained sitting there, grooming herself, lost in her own thoughts. However irksome it was to have to put up with Snowcloud, she could barely contain her excitement for the next Gathering, and the days were passing by quickly.

Finally, she got up silently, lashing her tail. The crows had stopped calling. As she began to make her way back into the trees, a wide smile was on her face.

**Bleehhasdfa;slkdfj**

**I love you all**

**TNT,**

**Pearly!**


	29. Chapter 28: Alone

**Ughh, I know it's been so long since I've updated. I'm so sorry. I've been so busy and I know I always say that but I really have been busy this time. Being a high school senior sucks, man.**

**Recap: Snowcloud and Ratpaw are walking in the woods together. She thinks about a dream she had just had; the she-cat she always meets with had told her some important information that had shocked her. The two cats find Jaguarpaw, a medicine cat apprentice who had originally been in WindClan, at the RiverClan border. He's sick; they bring him back, and Willowfall says he has a bad case of greencough. That night, Snowcloud has another dream; it's revealed that the cat she'd been meeting all this time is Emberheart. Emberheart reminds Snowcloud of what she must do at the next Gathering. Emberheart thinks Snowcloud's really dumb.**

Chapter 28

_Alone_

[Cedarpaw]

By now, Cedarpaw had become quite familiar with the nests of dried moss in the medicine den, to waking up every morning to have Willowfall check on him and to give him food when there was actually food available. And to have Olivepaw visit him everyday, even with Willowfall's constant reminders that he had to rest.

As the days had passed by since he'd woken up, more and more memories came back to him. Images would flash through his mind, causing him to cringe and shut his eyes, which would always alarm Olivepaw, who'd look at him with worry. That night... What had happened, again? He'd seen Waterkit. Cedarpaw frowned as he tried to remember what happened. No. That wasn't right. That hadn't been Waterkit. Waterkit didn't have those amber eyes.

But his memory was hazy, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember everything that had happened. He remembered everything growing dark and being lost in some strange, unfamiliar place. Or had that just been his imagination? Maybe.

And the pain. He remembered feeling intense pain coursing through every vein in his body. It was unlike anything else he'd ever experienced before.

And the last bit he remembered, which was the part that somehow worried him the most, was that Olivepaw had been there. She'd found him there, hadn't she? He vaguely remembered saying something to her, and though he wasn't entirely sure what it had been, he had a pretty firm idea. He flattened his ears, squeezing his eyes shut as he let out a shaky breath.

It was the middle of the night; Onespot, Willowfall, and Frostpaw were all asleep. Jaguarpaw, who had been found two days ago and who had been under the care of Willowfall and the others, lay sleeping in his own nest, shivering and coughing every now and then.

Cedarpaw silently got to his paws, making up his mind. He needed to talk to Olivepaw. Since Willowfall had been keeping her constant eye on him, he hadn't the chance to talk to her in private. He swallowed, his heart, for some reason, beginning to pound. But he knew he had to do this. He had to tell her the truth. He had to tell her everything. It was only fair to her.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped outside, half afraid that he would see the glowing shape of Waterkit again. But the clearing was empty. As he made his way over to the apprentices' den, he found that he was only a little bit sore. Olivepaw had told him what had happened. That StarClan had healed him. That he'd be alright.

Quickly glancing around, he slipped into the medicine den.

Inside, Ratpaw and Olivepaw slept close together, as did Littlepaw and Brokenpaw. Grasspaw lay by himself at the back.

Sucking in a breath, Cedarpaw carefully made his way over to where Olivepaw lay. He prodded the dark brown tabby with his paw until she shifted slightly, finally blinking open her eyes and looking up at him.

She stared at him in surprise.

"Cedarpaw?" she mewed sleepily. Cedarpaw flinched, glancing around to make sure no one else had woken up. But they all slept soundly.

Olivepaw lowered her voice. "Cedarpaw, what's wrong?"

The tom frowned before turning away, waving his tail and beckoning her to follow him. Understanding, she immediately got to her paws; the two of them quietly exited the den together.

As they crossed through the clearing and towards the slope, neither of them said a word. Olivepaw seemed to sense that this must have been important if he had awoken her in the middle of the night. Cedarpaw kept his gaze in front of him, ears flattened as they marched up the slope and entered the dark, cold forest.

Knowing now how dangerous it was to go too far into the woods, they only walked for a few minutes in silence before he flicked his tail and came to a halt. Olivepaw stopped, too, looking at him. The only noise to be heard was the wind rustling the trees and the occasional sound of an owl flying overheard.

He looked at her, and she looked back at him, waiting for him to speak. But he couldn't. He opened his mouth slightly, but no words would come out. But he had to get through this. He had to tell her.

Finally, he was able to open his mouth and say, in that light, gentle voice, "...You saved me."

Olivepaw looked surprised by his words, but she nonetheless managed a small smile.

"I'm just glad you're alright," she murmured, glancing shyly at her paws before looking back up at him with a relieved expression.

But Cedarpaw didn't smile back. Instead, he asked very quietly, "Did... I say anything to you when you found me?"

Olivepaw tensed up, her smile vanishing, thus confirming Cedarpaw's suspicions. He held his breath, waiting for her to say something.

"Y...Yeah."

He took a step forward. "What did I say?"

Olivepaw shifted her paws uncomfortably, closing her eyes and letting out a long sigh. She then glanced up at the sky.

"Olivepaw..."

"You told me that you killed your father," the she-cat murmured, clenching her eyes shut again before opening them and looking at him with a frown, ears flattened.

Cedarpaw blinked softly. So that was it. That's what he had told her.

He turned away, sitting down and closing his eyes. He wasn't quite sure how to react or what to do. So he just sat there for a few moments in his own thoughts. Apparently he had remained like this for quite a while, because eventually Olivepaw mewed quietly, "Cedarpaw...?"

The tom got to his paws and turned around, looking at her. Olivepaw looked back at him with worry and something similar to fear. "Cedarpaw..."

"I want to tell you," Cedarpaw said quietly, voice pure and sweet as always. "About what happened." He frowned, looking away. "But I... don't want you to leave me."

His words seemed to have hit Olivepaw unexpectedly hard; she looked at him with an expression like horror and began shaking her head fiercely, eyes wide as she took a few staggered steps over to him. He turned to face her; she was standing quite close, now.

"Don't say that," she whispered, ears flattened as she looked at him pleadingly. "Cedarpaw, you're my best friend. Nothing you say, and nothing you ever did, will change that."

As he looked at her, Cedarpaw suddenly felt a wave of emotion wash over him, so much so that he found it hard to speak. Olivepaw seemed to notice; she took a step forward and briefly pressed her muzzle to his. He blinked a few times before closing his eyes and letting out a deep breath, giving a small nod. She backed up and looked at him silently, waiting for him to speak.

Cedarpaw looked past her, out into the dark, cold forest. Even the trees seemed to be listening, watching. He flicked an ear, a large part of him not wanting to travel that far back into his memory. Especially not _that_ part. But he pushed that feeling away and looked back at Olivepaw.

"Remember... Remember when Waterkit died?"

Olivepaw blinked, a little surprised, but nodded.

"Of course..."

Cedarpaw frowned, the scenes he had witnessed beginning to flash through his mind.

_It was gorgeous that day. The sun was high in the nearly cloudless sky, sending down a calm, peaceful warmth on the forest below. The trees were full of green, their leaves rustling in the cool wind as robins and bluejays chirped to each other. Everything was so serene._

_ Through the ferns and bracken, a small kit was creeping. He was a light brown tabby tom with one white paw and wide, bright amber eyes. He blinked a few times, looking around, ears pricked, tail lifted._

_ "Waterkit?" he called out quietly, glancing about. His brother had said he would play with him, but when Cedarkit had gone to look for him, he was gone. He'd asked his mother, Swallowflight, who said that maybe he had gone out with Reedfur for a walk and would be back soon, that he should stay where he was, that there were _foxes_ out there. But Cedarkit wanted to find him. He didn't want to be stuck in camp all day long. And he just thought that Swallowflight had told him there were foxes to scare him. He couldn't be in any real danger, right?_

_ But he couldn't find a single trace of his brother, no matter where he looked. He was growing anxious; he felt as if he'd been out there for hours, even if it was only a matter of minutes. He kept looking around, determined not to get lost but scared that he would._

_ "Waterkit?" he called out again, his voice hoarse and high-pitched as fear began to settle in his stomach. "Water-...?"_

_ He broke off when he heard a rustling of bushes up ahead. He froze, ears pricked; were those voices he heard? _

_ Yes! That was Reedfur's voice! Relief swept over the tiny kit. Waterkit had to be with his father._

_ He happily took a step forward, ready to burst through the undergrowth to see them, but he suddenly stopped in his tracks, one paw still hanging in the air. His father... Why was he yelling? Was he angry? It was unlike him. Then he heard Waterkit's voice, which was high-pitched in what sounded like fear. He was saying "I'm sorry..." At least, that's what it sounded like. Cedarkit flattened his ears, trying to listen to what was going on._

_ Soundlessly, he crept forward a bit further until he could peer at them through the undergrowth._

_ Reedfur's back was turned to Cedarkit; he was standing with his tail lashing and his fur fluffed up. Cedarkit caught a glimpse of his brother, who was facing Reedfur. He looked scared._

_ "I'm sorry, Dad!" rasped Waterkit, shaking his head fiercely and looking at his father pleadingly. "I... I didn't see anything!"_

_ "Worthless kit!" Reedfur hissed, his light brown fur bristling. "That's all you've ever been, isn't it? A waste of space!"_

_ Waterkit took a step back, trembling, continuing to shake his head, eyes wide and shining. Cedarkit watched, not daring to move an inch. What was going on? What were they talking about? What could have made his father so angry...?_

_ "Dad..."_

_ "Shut up!" hissed Reedfur. "Don't call me that! You're no son of mine!"_

_ Waterkit stared at him desperately, and then took a step forward. And that's when it happened._

_ Reedfur suddenly lashed out a paw, striking it hard across Waterkit's face. Cedarkit let out a gasp and stood, paralyzed, watching as drops of blood splattered onto the leaves. Waterkit let out a loud squeal in pain, which only seemed to infuriate Reedfur even more. He lashed out again, the force of his blow so strong it sent Waterkit crashing to the ground. Reedfur kept attacking- it was hard to see what exactly was going on from the bush in which Cedarkit was watching, but he caught glimpses of red and heard shrill yells of pain._

_ Cedarkit didn't know what to do. He tried to think, but even the ability to make a cohesive thought seemed to be lacking. His paws were planted to the ground, and he couldn't move them, no matter how hard he tried. What should he do? Try to save his brother? But how? Wouldn't he only get hurt himself? So he kept watching, mesmerized, mouth hanging open slightly, eyes wide._

_ An ear-piercing shriek shot through the trees, sending chills coursing through Cedarkit's spine. He stood frozen, fur raised, tail lifted in alarm. He pressed forward slightly, trying to see through the leaves..._

_ He let out a weak gasp and scampered backwards, his feet suddenly mobile. Waterkit was lying on the ground in a mangled heap, blood seeping out of the many wounds that had sunk deep into his tiny body. He wasn't moving. Not even an inch._

_ Cedarkit, not quite understanding what was going on and feeling almost as if he were in a dream, watched as Reedfur slowly took a step forward. His own fur had been spotted with blood, though it likely wasn't his. He looked down at the cat- his _son-_ who he had just killed. He didn't make a sound. After a few moments, he simply lashed his tail and flicked his ear, leaning down to pick up the lifeless kit by the scruff. And with that, he turned and padded off into the forest, carrying Waterkit with him._

_ The next thing Cedarkit, knew, he was running through the forest, eyes wide, his breathing loud in his ears. His heart was pounding and he could barely even see straight. What he had just witnessed kept replaying over and over in his mind, and even then, he still wasn't sure if that had really happened or not. But even so, he didn't dare look back. He just kept running into he burst into camp._

_ And that was when his mother had come over, at first scolding him that he shouldn't have gone out in the woods alone because there were foxes, and then growing more and more alarmed by his strange behavior._

_ "Cedarkit, what's wrong? Please look at me..."_

_ But before he had time to respond, a shape appeared at the top of the clearing. It was a light brown tabby tom, his fur ruffled as he panted. Cedarkit pulled away from his father, a feeling of dread washing over him as he watched his father stand at the top of the hollow. Cats were asking him what was wrong. Oh, Waterkit vanished... I told him to stay there while I hunted a chipmunk... When I turned around, he was gone... I looked everywhere for him..._

_ Cedarkit had said nothing. He didn't know what he could possibly do, what he _should_ do. So he did nothing. And as cats were sent off to search for Waterkit, Olivekit had come over to try to comfort him. Cedarkit had told her that it was no use, that Waterkit was gone._

_ "...Dead..._

_ "...D-Dead..."_

_ They had sat together until the patrols had come back, announcing that Waterkit had been killed by foxes._

Olivepaw was silent for a long time. So was Cedarpaw. He was looking away, unable to meet her gaze. A freezing cold wind swept by, and an owl hooted in the distant darkness.

"So it wasn't foxes after all, then?" Olivepaw finally spoke, her voice quiet. She was looking at her paws.

Cedarpaw didn't respond right away. He slowly looked over at the she-cat, a soft frown on his face. He didn't want to continue what had happened. It had been hard enough retelling what he had witnessed as a kit.

But he knew he had to, so he opened his mouth and continued to talk, voice soft.

"I was the only one who knew the truth," he murmured. "And I had to live with that every day. I was so scared of my father. But I guess... that fear began to turn into hatred." He paused again, looking up at the sky and feeling Olivepaw's intent gaze on him.

_It was early in the morning. The sun was bright that day and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, but the air was still freezing. Two toms were walking side by side through the trees, both of them with light brown tabby pelts and glowing amber eyes. Neither of them were saying a thing._

_ Cedarpaw walked silently beside his father, He had been surprised when Reedfur had agreed to take this walk with him. He must have suspected something, though, because Reedfur kept sending glances at his son, his mouth twitching into an unpleasant frown. Cedarpaw had told him that he had to "talk to him about something." Which was true. But anxiety gripped at the apprentice as they padded through the snow. He wasn't sure what was going to happen, but he had decided that he couldn't keep on living like this, knowing that his father had killed Waterkit. Being the _only_ one to know. He was going to tell his father what he had seen. And should Reedfur attack him, he'd be prepared._

_ Soon, Reedfur stopped walking. He stood there, light brown fur blowing in the faint breeze, the light of the rising sun in his narrowed eyes._

_ "Enough," he growled with a lash of his tail. "We've gone far enough. Tell me what this is all about."_

_ Cedarpaw looked into his eyes; he saw himself in their reflection. He swallowed, lifting his head up higher and determined not to break their gaze. He closed his eyes for a brief second and let out a shaky breath before opening them and saying in a loud, clear voice, "I know what you did."_

_ He could have sworn he saw his father flinch, just the slightest bit, but the older cat's eyes narrowed even further and he lashed his tail again with impatience._

_ "What are you talking about?" he demanded. "Is this some kind of a joke? I don't have time for this; I'm going-"_

_ "I know that you killed Waterkit."_

_ There was a silence. Reedfur looked at him, slightly stunned, before Cedarpaw added in a quiet voice, "I saw it. I saw everything. I was there."_

_ Reedfur's eyes darkened and narrowed to slits, his lips pulled back into a snarl before he growled, "I don't know what you're talking about. Waterkit was killed by foxes."_

_ "Don't lie to me!" snarled Cedarpaw suddenly, his voice loud, his fur bristling. "I was _there._ Seven moons ago. You were yelling at him because he saw something he wasn't supposed to see. You started attacking him. You killed him. I saw you pick up his body and take it into the woods. I saw everything, Reedfur."_

_ Reedfur was apparently surprised by his son's sudden hostility, because for a moment, he had a somewhat blank expression on his face as he stared at Cedarpaw, a little baffled. Cedarpaw stood there, tense, waiting for his response._

_ A moment later, Reedfur's frown slowly curled up into a small smile, and a light laugh broke from his lips._

_ "What's so funny?" hissed Cedarpaw, claws digging into the snowy ground._

_ Reedfur shook his head softly as he laughed. "Who would have guessed?" he mewed, seemingly mostly to himself. "Who would have guessed that anyone would find out...?" He then rested his eyes on Cedarpaw, a smirk on his face. "But that doesn't matter, does it? Because who would ever believe _you_..._?"_ His smile grew and he shook his head again. "I'm the most respected, well-liked cat in ShadowClan. Those cats will believe _anything_ I say. But you, Cedarpaw...? You're nothing. No one has ever cared about you, and no one ever will. We're done here."_

_ And with a flick of his tail, he turned and began to pad away, still laughing quietly to himself._

_ Cedarpaw stood there for a moment, disbelief written on his face. He felt numb, and his head pounded painfully, suddenly so angry that he could hardly even see. His heart began to race, and before he knew it, he was darting after his father. With a snarl, he leaped into the air and lunged at Reedfur, knocking him to the ground despite his small size._

_ The larger cat let out a loud hiss of surprise and, with ease, shook his son off of him and got to his paws, turning to face the smaller cat. His fur was now bristling, amber eyes blazing and narrowed to slits, lips pulled back and teeth glistening in the early morning sun._

_ "Worthless runt!" he snarled, taking a step forward. Cedarpaw held his ground. "Do you know who I am? Do you know who you're_ dealing_ with? I'm the strongest cat in ShadowClan! Do you _really_ want to start picking a fight with me?"_

_ Cedarpaw glared at him, eyes narrowed and tail lashing. He didn't say a word. And yet, this only seemed to make Reedfur angry, because the next minute, he lashed a paw out, hitting hard against Cedarpaw's head. His claws hadn't been flexed, so there was no blood, but the force of his blow was so powerful that it knocked the apprentice to the ground._

_ Everything went blurry for a few moments, and a dazed feeling came over Cedarpaw. When he managed to lift his head, Reedfur was standing over him. Before the apprentice could do anything, his father raised a paw and lashed out again, this time with flexed claws. He sliced them across Cedarpaw's shoulder, and the young tom let out a strained gasp, clenching his teeth together in an attempt not to try out._

_ Reedfur raised his paw again, but Cedarpaw was ready this time. He rolled out of the way as the blow came down, narrowly avoiding it. He leaped to his paws, jumping out of the way as his father attempted another strike. The larger tom hissed in frustration and lunged for Cedarpaw, claws flexed and teeth bared._

_ Thinking fast and feeling as if he were in a sort of dream, Cedarpaw leaped to the side, and when Reedfur landed on the ground, the apprentice lashed out at his legs, tripping up the larger cat and causing him to fall to the snowy ground._

_ In a daze, Cedarpaw looked wildly around. What could he do? If he tried to make a run for it, Reedfur would surely catch up with his much longer legs. But if he wanted to do something, he'd have to act fast, before Reedfur was back on his paws-_

_ The apprentice's eyes fell on something. Several emotions shot through him all at once- fear, disgust, worry, sorrow... But when he saw Waterkit flashing before his eyes, all of those feelings were replaced by a dull yet burning hatred._

_ So, without even knowing quite what he was doing, and still feeling rather like he were in a dream, like someone else was in his body, or he was in someone else's, he stumbled over to where his father had fallen, his shoulder dripping with blood, and took hold of his scruff. Reedfur hissed as he tried to roll over onto his paws, and he would have been able to get right back up to his feet in a matter of seconds if Cedarpaw hadn't tightened his grip on his father's scruff and smashed his head, as hard as he could, into a jagged rock nearby._

_ There was a loud thud as the top of Reedfur's skull hit hard against the rock, and almost immediately, he dropped to the ground, his scruff breaking free of Cedarpaw's jaws. The apprentice blinked, not exactly sure what had just happened. He took a step back and stared at his father; the older cat was lying in a mangled slump, blood seeping out from where he'd been struck, staining the rock and the snow beneath him red._

"I didn't quite know what had just happened," Cedarpaw explained quietly as he surveyed the night sky, whiskers twitching. He felt Olivepaw's gaze on him, never leaving. "Even now I can't remember it quite clearly. But after about a minute, I realized he was dead."

_Cedarpaw stood there, panting, his own fur marked with blood, his shoulder stinging from where his father's claws had struck him. He felt dizzy and dazed. For a few seconds, he expected Reedfur to get up and keep fighting. But he lay there, perfectly still._

_ And then the words "He's dead" suddenly popped into his brain._

_ The apprentice blinked softly, leaning forward a bit to see if it was really true. But he wasn't moving. His sides weren't heaving with breath. He wasn't twitching or growling or groaning or anything. He didn't even look like a cat anymore. It was so unnatural._

_ So... he was dead._

_ No, he wasn't just dead. He'd been murdered. _By me,_ the apprentice thought._

_ Cedarpaw's whiskers twitched and he lashed his tail, looking around. The sun was getting higher in the sky; a patrol would be coming this way soon. He had to do something._

_ Still feeling as if he hadn't woken up from a dream, the tom gingerly grabbed his father by the scruff and began to drag him through the snow, leaving behind a trail of blood. He wasn't quite sure where he was taking him, but then a thought popped into his head. The stream._

_ Though he wasn't entirely sure where he was, he soon heard the soft gurgling of the water nearby. Breaking through a dead bush, they reached the stream, the water catching the golden light of the sun._

_ Cedarpaw dragged the dead cat into the freezing water, which caused a shiver to go down the apprentice's spine. With much effort, he hauled Reedfur up the stream. He wanted to cover his tracks, and he knew that the water would easily wash away the blood and Cedarpaw's scent. Plus, he wanted Reedfur to be found as far away as where he'd been killed as possible._

_ During this whole process, Cedarpaw's mind was quite blank. He wasn't thinking about anything except for the fact that he had to hide Reedfur's body. Though it was in the back of his mind, he really didn't think about the fact that he had just murdered his own father and was now dragging his dead body through the stream._

_ After a while, when Cedarpaw was satisfied he'd taken him far enough, he released the tom's scruff. With a grunt, he turned Reedfur over so that his head lay beside a particularly large and jagged rock, making it look as if he had slipped into the water and hit his head against it. Looking up, the apprentice saw that dark clouds had quickly covered the sky, blocking out the sun. He silently made his way back along the stream._

_ He soon found where he had come from; there was still a trail of blood on the ground. But just a few seconds later, he felt a snowflake land on his nose. Raising his head, he watched as snow began to lightly fall from the sky. It would cover up the blood. Cedarpaw smiled faintly._

_ Just as he was beginning to make his way back to camp, he halted in his tracks, blinking. Had he just heard a voice...? Maybe he was going crazy._

_ "Cedarpaw..."_

_ The apprentice froze. That time, he was sure of it. There was a voice, saying his name. And it sounded quite like..._

_ "Cedarpaw...!"_

_ The apprentice whirled around, fur bristled, claws flexed. But no one was there. It was completely silent. Ears flattened, he uneasily made his way back through the woods, checking over his shoulder every few moments._

_. . ._

_ It was the next day, the sun having just set, a light snow falling._

_ Everyone was gathered together, situated in a semi-circle around the limp body of a light brown tabby tom._ _He lay in the snow, his amber eyes half-closed and a dark red mark on the top of his skull where he had been struck_. _He was dead, of course, and his name was Reedfur, one of the most respected warriors of ShadowClan. Naturally, everyone was shocked and horrified by his death. It was just so sudden. They say that he had slipped into the stream at the edge of their territory, hitting his head on a rock and drowning. They'd found his body a day later after sending out a search party._

_A she-cat stepped forward, slowly approaching the warrior's body. Tall, slender and beautiful, flakes of snow hung from the cat's silver fur. Her light blue eyes scanned the clearing before they roamed down to the dead cat at her paws. She then leaned down, resting her chin on the warrior's head before silently backing away._

_ In the crowd, Cedarpaw sat beside Olivepaw, who kept sending him worried glances. The apprentice watched the scene silently, his eyes locked on his father. He said not a word, but his mind was churning._

_ Yesterday morning, he had killed Reedfur and taken him to the stream. He had returned to camp unnoticed and nobody had ever suspected anything. Not even his best friend. But he had been uneasy the whole day, and when someone had announced that Reedfur had gone missing, he had begun to panic. Search parties were sent out the next morning and had been gone for what seemed like forever. And when they had finally returned, Reedfur's body slumped over their backs, Cedarpaw had thought for sure that they knew the truth._

_ "We found him in the stream," Harestep had announced to everyone, who stood there in shock and horror. "He seems to have hit his head against a rock. We think he must have slipped and drowned."_

_ A somewhat sick sense of relief had washed over Cedarpaw. He was safe._

_ But that wasn't what he was worrying about. Throughout yesterday and today, strange things seemed to be happening. He kept hearing a voice, but when he'd turn around, there'd be no one there. He kept seeing shadows that didn't seem to belong to anyone, and he kept seeing flashes of a dark forest, of sparks of fire, of a cat stretching over him, amber eyes blazing._

_ Maybe he really was going mad, but he kept seeing traces of his father, signs that he was still there, beside him, watching him, whispering to him, haunting him._

_ Other cats were going up to mourn for Reedfur, now. He really had been extremely popular throughout ShadowClan. Olivepaw looked over at Cedarpaw, a sad, sympathetic, concerned look on her face._

_ "Are you going to go up there?"_

_ Cedarpaw blinked and looked at her, suddenly feeling a surge of guilt shoot through him. Olivepaw was sitting there, looking so upset and concerned for his own well-being, thinking that he must be shocked and depressed and scarred from all of this when in reality she hadn't a clue that he was the reason Reedfur was dead in the first place. It made him feel horrible. Not because he had murdered someone, but because he was keeping it from Olivepaw._

_ Later in the night, as Cedarpaw sat alone, Olivepaw walked up to him, ears flattened as she looked at him with worry._

_"Have you eaten recently, Cedarpaw?" she asked quietly. He made no response. He didn't even look at her. He couldn't. Because if he did, he would only feel guilt. He had gone through these past two days with the same feeling that he was still stuck in a dream, that this was all unreal, that he'd be waking up soon. But he hadn't. And yet, he didn't feel an ounce of remorse for his father. He had come to realize that he was happy he was dead, that he had deserved it all along. And yet, when Olivepaw looked at him like that... _

_ She sat down beside him, trying again._

_ "Cedarpaw, you need to eat. Please. At least take-"_

_ "Dead,"_ _came the soft voice of the other apprentice. He wasn't quite sure why he had said that; he'd just opened his mouth and the word had come pouring out. It had been the first word he'd said all day._

_ Olivepaw stared at him, blinking slowly. "What?"_

_ "Dead," Cedarpaw whispered again. He wondered, vaguely, why, but he didn't really care._

_ Olivepaw frowned and lay her head against his shoulder. Cedarpaw felt emotion well up inside of him; he clenched his eyes shut._

_ "I'm so sorry," she was rasping. "And I know that there probably isn't anything I can do to make you feel better, but I hate seeing you like this, and-"_

_ "Dead," Cedarpaw said, once more, causing Olivepaw to stop talking. And then he remembered. This is what he had said all those moons ago, right after he'd witnessed Waterkit being killed. These were the words that had come out of his mouth. Dead..._

_ Waterkit..._

_ They stayed that way for a long time._

_. . ._

Olivepaw was silent. So was Cedarpaw; he had finally stopped talking. As the night air ruffled his fur, a gentle smile fell on his face, though he didn't know why.

"Do you hate me?" Cedarpaw whispered after a long time, finally looking over at Olivepaw, their eyes meeting.

"Cedarpaw-"

"All this time," he whispered, "I was afraid. I was afraid that if you knew the truth, you would hate me. You're the only one I have, Olivepaw. I didn't want to be alone." He closed his eyes, shaking his head softly and letting out a shaky breath. "But I didn't realize that I was so scared of you hating me that I starting pushing myself away from you. This past moon I've felt more alone than I ever had before. And it's all my fault."

"Cedarpaw, stop!" Olivepaw begged, ears flattened, eyes shimmering with intense emotion. She looked as if she were about to break down. "It's not your fault!"

"Yes, it is!" Cedarpaw shot back, taking a step back from her. "I murdered my own father! How can't you hate me for that?"

"Cedarpaw, I told you already," Olivepaw said, quieter now, her tone sincere. "I told you you were my best friend. That nothing you did or will do will ever change that. That's still true."

The tom didn't know what to do, or what to say. He just stood there, shaking his head softly, feeling a mixture of emotions buzzing through his mind. Before he realized that she had even taken a step forward, she was now pressing herself against him again, comfortingly wrapping her tail around him. He buried his face into her fur, for some reason his legs beginning to shake. He couldn't speak or do anything. He didn't have the strength. He just wanted to sit there with her forever, wanting to be sure that she wouldn't leave him, needing to be sure that he wasn't alone. And she was just beginning to convince him that he wasn't.

**Sooo, you finally find out what the deal with Cedarpaw is. There a few things that'll become clearer later on, like why exactly Reedfur killed Waterkit and what happened the night Cedarpaw was attacked by "Waterkit's" ghost. If you haven't figured it out already, xP**

**I love y'all so much.**

**Till next time,**

**Pearly!**


	30. Chapter 29: An Unexpected Guest

**Hey, guys! I know this is late, but like I said, I've been soo busy lately with college stuff and just school in general and a ton of personal issues have come up that I've had to be dealing with so... I'm sorry. But here's the next chapter. Thank you all who have been reading. (:**

**Recap: Cedarpaw takes a walk with Olivepaw and explains to her how he had witnessed his father Reedfur killing Waterkit, his brother, though he never found out why he did it. Moons later, Cedarpaw walks with his father and tells him that he knows what he's done. They fight, and Cedarpaw ends up killing Reedfur by slamming his head against a rock. He dragged his father's body to the stream and left him there, making it look like he had slipped, fallen in, and drowned. Cedarpaw tells Olivepaw that he had been scared to tell her because he didn't want her to leave him. She assures him that she wouldn't.**

Chapter 29

_An Unexpected Guest_

[Frostpaw]

"Littlepaw's been coughing all day," Brokenpaw was saying in a low voice, his ears flattened, his blue-gray fur sticking up in anxiety. "He seems sick. I tried to tell him but he said he was fine. But I don't think he is."

The apprentice was sitting in the medicine den; it was morning, and it was snowing outside. Inside, Onespot was looking over Jaguarpaw, who lay in a bed of moss, sleeping. The tom hadn't gotten much better since he'd been found at the RiverClan border the week before. In fact, his condition was growing worse. And though Frostpaw knew that everyone was trying to hide it, they were all scared. Not for Jaguarpaw, but that his greencough would spread and infect the entire camp. Everyone tried to stay as far away from the medicine den as possible.

"Tell Littlepaw to come and see me," Willowfall was mewing as she sat down and curled her tail around her paws. She had a generally tired look on her face; Frostpaw didn't think she'd gotten much sleep. _She'd been that way a lot lately,_ she thought. _I wonder if something's wrong._

"I'll try," Brokenpaw murmured, getting to his feet. "I just don't want him to end up like..." He trailed off as he glanced at Jaguarpaw, whose sides were rising and falling at an uneven rate. He'd lost even more fur.

"He'll be fine," Willowfall said quietly, but Frostpaw noticed that she was avoiding the tom's gaze. "Thank you for telling us, Brokenpaw."

With an awkward bow of the head, Brokenpaw turned and exited the den.

After a moment of silence, Willowfall closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.

"Willowfall," Frostpaw mewed, her voice low so that Onespot wouldn't overhear, "is something wrong? You've been seeming tense lately... Especially today." Willowfall flattened her ears and looked at her.

"...Nothing," she said quietly. "I'm just tired."

Frostpaw frowned, not convinced, but she thought it best not to press her. She decided to change the subject. "So, what d'you think is gonna happen at the Gathering tonight?"

She was quite surprised to see Willowfall visibly flinch, her ears pricked as she began to stare at the ground.

"...Who can really say?" she said after a moment. "I'm sure that Blossomstar is planning something, though. It's been a whole moon since she claimed that everyone has to join RiverClan or die, and she's barely touched ShadowClan."

"Yeah," Frostpaw sighed. "I'm worried about that, too. I-"

"Hey, Frostpaw?" Willowfall cut in, looking at her with something like anxiety. "You haven't heard about who'll be coming to the Gathering tonight, have you?"

Frostpaw stared at her and blinked several times. "No," she mewed, puzzled. "But, Willowfall... Don't medicine cats _always_ go...?"

The older cat smiled very faintly, looking away. "I suppose they do," she said softly. Frostpaw frowned but said nothing.

. . .

"I'm so hungry," sighed Ratpaw, flicking his tail. "There's barely been any food at all anymore."

Frostpaw frowned, saying nothing. The two apprentices were sitting together outside. Snow was falling lightly and gently; it had begun to slow. A few others were in the clearing; Icewhisker and Furzetail were talking with Antfur and Ferretheart, who had both come from ThunderClan. Harestep was setting up a hunting patrol with a few other warriors, and Olivepaw and Cedarpaw were sitting together, talking in low voices. Frostpaw blinked softly as she watched them, a tiny smile appearing on her face. Ratpaw seemed to follow her gaze.

"Have you noticed how Cedarpaw's been talking more?" he meowed, watching.

"Yeah," Frostpaw said quietly. She smiled slightly. "They spend all their time together. They're so cute." When Ratpaw glanced at her slightly awkwardly, Frostpaw laughed and said, "Sorry, I know it must be weird to have me talking about him and your sister like that."

"That's okay," chuckled Ratpaw. "I..." He broke off as his eyes landed on the apprentices' den; Frostpaw followed his gaze to see Grasspaw exit from the den. The gray tom's fur ruffled slightly as his fur began to grow speckled with snow, his green eyes looking around, a grimace on his face. Frostpaw glanced at Ratpaw; he was frowning.

"There's something weird about him," he muttered as the two watched Grasspaw approach the group that Harestep was talking to. Frostpaw looked at him.

"You're only saying that because of what Russetpaw said about him."

Ratpaw flattened his ears and looked away, and Frostpaw immediately felt guilty.

"I'm sorry-"

"No, don't," said Ratpaw, looking at her with a small smile. "Let's not talk about Russetpaw... Whatever I had with her is over."

Frostpaw blinked slowly and studied him, but after a moment a tiny smile crept onto her face and she nodded.

"Alright."

"Hey, guys," a voice suddenly came from behind them. The apprentices jumped and turned around. It was Snowcloud.

"Hey, Snowcloud," purred Ratpaw, waving his tail. Frostpaw shot him a glance, for some reason feeling slightly _angry_ that he was being so friendly to her. Hadn't she told him how unfairly Snowcloud had been treating her lately? She glanced at her sister; the warrior smiled at Ratpaw before glancing at Frostpaw from the corner of her eye. Frostpaw snorted quietly.

"Excited for the Gathering?" Ratpaw mewed, smiling at both of them, obviously trying to stir up a conversation that they could both be involved in.

But for some reason, Snowcloud's smile turned into a deep frown. Her eyes darkened and her tail grew rigid as she looked away. Frostpaw blinked, puzzled, realizing that she was reacting in a similar way that Willowfall had. What was going on? Was there something that Snowcloud and Willowfall knew that no one else did?

"Yeah," Snowcloud managed to mutter before quickly faking a smile. "Yeah. I'm excited..."

Ratpaw seemed to notice her strange behavior, too, but he didn't say anything.

. . .

It was evening. The snow had finally come to a complete stop, but the air was still freezing.

Frostpaw was inside the medicine den, sorting some herbs for Willowfall. Onespot was looking over Littlepaw, who had agreed to come see them. He _did_ look sick- he was coughing and his fur seemed a little thinner than it had been. But he wasn't the only one who had come to the medicine den that day. Just a few minutes before, Furzetail, Frostpaw's mother, had come in, complaining that her throat was sore and she'd been coughing a bit. When Willowfall had turned away to reach for an herb, Frostpaw could see the worried expression on her face.

"I'm sure it's just a cold," Furzetail mewed, obviously trying to reassure her own daughter. "It's that time of the year..."

"Mom, I don't think you should go to the Gathering tonight," Frostpaw mewed, frowning. "Onespot agreed that he'd stay here to keep watch over Jaguarpaw and Littlepaw. I think you should stay too."

"Just to be safe," mewed Onespot, nodding his head in agreement. "And I'm sure Willowfall will fill us in about the Gathering when she gets back. Won't you, Willowfall?"

The medicine cat frowned in reply, saying nothing. Frostpaw flicked an ear.

"You can take a seat here," Onespot mewed, beckoning to a bed of dried moss. "I'll-"

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Tallstump for a Clan meeting," Minnowstar's voice rang out.

"I bet it's time for Minnowstar to announce who's going to the Gathering," Furzetail mewed as she sat down, a small smile on her face. "Go ahead, Frostpaw. Don't worry about me. Have fun tonight, sweetie."

Frostpaw smiled slightly and nodded, padding over to her mother to lick her ear.

"Feel better, Mom. We'll tell you all about the Gathering when we're back."

Furzetail smiled. "I'm looking forward to it."

"See you all later," Onespot mewed as Frostpaw and Willowfall exited the den.

The sun had set, but the moon was full, and it shone a silver light down onto the clearing. Cats were quickly beginning to gather, their eyes shining in anticipation as Minnowstar waited atop the Tallstump.

Frostpaw found Ratpaw with Snowcloud, Olivepaw, and Cedarpaw, and sat down beside him. Ratpaw grinned at her; Frostpaw smiled back. Snowcloud was looking up at Minnowstar, silent, a solemn expression on her face. Olivepaw was whispering something to Cedarpaw, who was smiling slightly.

"Attention," Minnowstar called once everyone had gotten settled. All eyes were on her. "It is time to announce who is coming to tonight's Gathering. After I do, we will depart immediately." There was a moment of silence; no one said a word. The leader lashed her tail and looked around before saying, "The cats who shall come to tonight's Gathering are Harestep, Willowfall, Swallowflight, Bluepelt, Briarclaw, Ravenheart, Cinderblaze, Icewhisker, Bumbleclaw, Antfur, Ferretheart, Rainspot, Olivepaw, Frostpaw, Ratpaw, and Brokenpaw."

There was a dull muttering going around; Frostpaw glanced at Ratpaw, who smiled and nudged her. She then looked over at Snowcloud, who hadn't been picked. The warrior was silent; her eyes were shining and there was a small frown on her face. Looking over at Willowfall, she was surprised to see a look of... _relief_ on her face. Frostpaw blinked.

"We leave immediately," Minnowstar called out over the talking, which had grown louder. "The cats who are staying here must decide amongst themselves who will guard camp until we return. Will the cats who I've named meet over here." She leaped from the Tallstump.

"We get to go!" Ratpaw mewed, grinning as they got to their paws. "I can't wait. I wonder what'll happen."

"Yeah," Frostpaw said blankly; her eyes were on her sister, who was walking away and disappearing into the warriors' den, head low.

"Are we all met?" called Minnowstar, glancing around at the smaller crowd that had gathered. "Very well; let's go." And the group set off up the slope and into the woods.

Frostpaw walked with Ratpaw and Olivepaw, who were talking.

"So, what exactly _is_ going on with you and Cedarpaw?" Ratpaw asked as the crowd trotted through the dark trees, a cold wind ruffling their pelts.

Olivepaw flicked an ear. "What do you mean?"

Frostpaw looked at her, trying not to think too hard about Willowfall and Snowcloud.

"You know what he means," she purred. "You spend every second together. And he's started talking again. You two must really care about each other."

Olivepaw smiled faintly, though she avoided their gazes. "He's just gotten over Reedfur's death, is all."

"But you helped him," Frostpaw replied. "I don't know what he'd do without you."

Olivepaw's smile broadened and she flattened her ears, seemingly embarrassed.

"Olivepaw, you can tell us if you like him, you know," Frostpaw said, her voice lowering as she smiled at her, nudging her lightly.

Olivepaw shrugged, though the smile was still on her face. Frostpaw caught Ratpaw's gaze; they shared a grin.

The full moon led the cats through the trees until they broke out of the forest and entered RiverClan territory. The lake glimmered as brilliantly as always, and the silhouette of the dock against the water stood out. Frostpaw shivered as they walked through the snow. The group was generally quiet; Ratpaw had started talking to Brokenpaw, who was expressing his concerns for his brother. Up ahead, a few warriors were talking. In the front, Minnowstar led silently as Harestep and Bumbleclaw talked to each other right behind her.

They continued through the snow and the cold winds until the island grew close. Frostpaw felt her heart beginning to race, feeling both excited and nervous. She had no idea what would come out of this Gathering, but she was tense. She blinked when she felt something brush her fur; she glanced over to see Ratpaw. He smiled slightly at her, and she smiled back, for some reason feeling even more nervous, now.

One by one, the cats leaped up onto the log bridge and trotted along it, careful not to slip. Frostpaw took her turn, daintily crossing and jumping off onto the island.

Once everyone had crossed, Minnowstar gathered everyone in a small huddle. She looked around, her light blue eyes gleaming brightly in the moonlight before giving a slow nod.

"Let's go."

With that, she turned and led everyone through the snowy undergrowth and into the clearing.

RiverClan was already there. They had all been talking, but once ShadowClan had appeared, all went silent. Heads turned to stare at them; a few cats pulled back their lips and growled, eyes narrowed. Frostpaw recognized quite a few RiverClanners- Sunnyheart, Thornfang, Whiskerfur, Applenose... And also cats that had previously been from ThunderClan and WindClan before they'd been destroyed, like Sagewhisker, former deputy of ThunderClan, and Bluebird and Forestwind, the medicine cats. On the roots of the giant tree sat Blacktail, green eyes shining as he quietly observed the ShadowClanners. Higher up, on one of the branches, sat Blossomstar. A grin was on her face, her mismatching eyes gleaming as she watched and said nothing.

There was a tense, uncomfortable silence as the RiverClan cats walked forward and began to sit down. Frostpaw sat with Olivepaw, Ratpaw, and Brokenpaw. She flattened her ears and glanced at the other apprentices. Usually, at Gatherings, there was time for the Clans to mingle and talk with each other, but this time there was so much hostility in the air. _This can't end well..._

Everyone watched as Minnowstar and Harestep quietly made their way to the tree, heads high and refusing to look at the RiverClanners, some of who were spitting at their paws. Minnowstar just lashed her tail with impatience as she at last climbed up the tree and took a branch next to Blossomstar's. Harestep took a seat next to Blacktail on the roots.

"Hello, Minnowstar," purred Blossomstar, her snow-white fur ruffling slightly in the breeze. She grinned widely, showing her teeth. Minnowstar's whiskers twitched, but despite herself, she gave a small incline of the head.

"Well, then, I think we're ready to begin," purred Blossomstar, looking around with a flick of her tail. "Minnowstar, why don't _you_ begin?"

The silver tabby looked at her rigidly, eyes a bit narrowed, but she nodded curtly and turned to the crowd.

"Very well. ShadowClan has been doing fine. Despite the harsh conditions of Leafbare, we have been managing quite well." She paused, her eyes narrowing further before saying, "However, last week, we found your medicine cat apprentice, Jaguarpaw, at the border. We have taken him in and we're caring for him. But let me ask you this, Blossomstar," she mewed coldly, turning to look at her, "what exactly was one of _your_ cats doing at the border, all by himself?"

There was muttering along the RiverClan cats. Some of them were looking at each other and smirking. Frostpaw frowned, worried.

Blossomstar gave a small laugh, shaking her head as if she pitied Minnowstar. "Why don't you tell _us,_ Minnowstar?" she mewed smoothly, still chuckling. "We discovered that he was gone. We sent out search parties and were unable to find him. But it seems as though _ShadowClan_ has simply stolen him from us."

"We didn't _steal _him!" growled Minnowstar, lips pulled back as her fur began to rise. "You know just as well as I do! Jaguarpaw is very ill; he wouldn't have been able to make it from RiverClan camp all the way to the border by himself! You _left_ him there!"

A few RiverClan cats began to snarl and growl loudly at Minnowstar, but Blossomstar, looking amused, lashed her tail.

"Enough, enough." She turned to Minnowstar, smiling widely. "Tell me, Minnowstar. Why would we do that? Why would we leave a young cat out in the snow to die...?"

Minnowstar looked at her, and a sudden look of realization came upon her face. She narrowed eyes to slits and lowered her voice.

"You didn't," she said quietly. "You didn't leave him there to die."

"Ah, she admits it!" laughed Blossomstar.

"I'm not finished," growled Minnowstar. "You didn't leave him there to die. You left him there hoping we'd find him, hoping we'd take him in. Why? Because you wanted his greencough to spread to everyone else in ShadowClan. You used him as a _tool._ Didn't you, Blossomstar?"

"I have to admit, Minnowstar," Blossomstar said slowly, shaking her head with a small smile. "You are _quite_ the storyteller."

"It's the truth," Minnowstar said calmly but firmly, her gaze burning into Blossomstar's. "You..."

She suddenly broke off, turning her gaze to where the cats had entered the clearing, her mouth open in surprise. Frostpaw blinked, and she, along with everyone else, turned their heads to see what she was looking at.

"Oh, StarClan," Frostpaw whispered, shaking her head in confusion.

Having just entered from the undergrowth stood Snowcloud. She was panting, her green eyes wide, tail raised as she looked around wildly. Frostpaw shared a look with Ratpaw, whose eyes were wide.

"..._Snowcloud?"_ Minnowstar called out, squinting as if she had mistaken. When she realized she hadn't, anger filled her face. "Snowcloud, what are you _doing_ here!? You've just interrupted the most important night of the _moon!"_

But she white she-cat didn't respond. She began to walk forward, ears flat, her gaze in front of her, a frown on her face. Frostpaw tried to catch her gaze, but she didn't. Everyone was silent as they watched her in awe, shock and confusion. The RiverClanners weren't even growling. They seemed as stunned as the ShadowClanners.

When Snowcloud reached the foot of the tree, she turned around and swallowed. She seemed quite nervous. But before anyone could say anything or question her, Snowcloud raised her head and said in a loud, clear voice, "Willowfall killed Graystar and Emberheart."


	31. Chapter 30: A Mother's Love

**Hey, guys :)**

**Recap: More cats are growing sick, and Frostpaw's afraid that it's from Jaguarpaw's greencough. Frostpaw talks to Ratpaw, but they're interrupted by Snowcloud, who seems distant and distracted. Later, Minnowstar picks the cats for the Gathering. Willowfall seems relieved when Snowcloud isn't picked. The group heads off to the island. Minnowstar accuses Blossomstar of having left Jaguarpaw at the border so that ShadowClan would find him, bring him in, and get infected by his greencough. Blossomstar denies it. Then, Snowcloud appears, out of breath, claiming that Willowfall killed Graystar and Emberheart.**

Chapter 30

_A Mother's Love_

[Willowfall]

"..."Willowfall killed Graystar and Emberheart."

There was a moment of silence as every cat on the island stared at Snowcloud.

Willowfall stood there, completely still. Her heart seemed to have stopped. She felt suddenly numb. Her mouth had dropped open slightly, blue eyes widened in disbelief as her fur ruffled in a cold breeze. Her mouth was dry, her spine was tingling. She was unable to process what was going on. It had taken her a moment to even realize what Snowcloud had said. What had just happened? Had she heard correctly?

"_Just make sure that Snowcloud doesn't go to the next Gathering."_

Badgerkit's words shot through her mind. They had been ringing in her head ever since she'd gotten that message. He'd told her that Emberheart was planning something. Was this it? Had Emberheart told Snowcloud what she'd done?

Willowfall had been relieved to find out that Snowcloud wasn't invited to the Gathering, because if she had been, she would have had to do something to prevent her from going. Tell her that she was sick and that she had to stay behind with Onespot. Anything. But she hadn't been picked, so Willowfall had felt almost giddy with relief.

But that didn't seem to matter, now. Snowcloud had followed them here, apparently anxious to say whatever it was she had to say. And she said it. In front of Minnowstar, Frostpaw, and the entirety of ShadowClan _and_ RiverClan. She felt as if she were in a dream. That this couldn't _actually_ be happening. She couldn't formulate her own thoughts. She couldn't speak out, she couldn't claim that Snowcloud was lying. She just stood there, stunned and at a loss for words.

After a painfully long moment of shocked silence, Minnowstar slowly lifted her head from where she sat, her eyes narrowed.

"Snowcloud," she said quietly, "What in _StarClan's_ name are you talking about? Willowfall, our medicine cat, a _murderer?_ Graystar and Emberheart both _drowned!"_

"Listen to me!" breathed Snowcloud as she looked up at her leader, actually looking anxious and desperate, ears flat. "Those weren't accidents! StarClan told me! They _showed_ me! Willowfall pushed Graystar off the dock, and two moons ago, when Emberheart died, she didn't drown, she... Willowfall-"

"Enough!" snarled Minnowstar suddenly, looking quite angry, her fur fluffed out. "I've had enough of your stories, Snowcloud! First you come to the Gathering that I _hadn't_ invited you to, and now you slander your own _medicine_ cat-"

"It's true!" Snowcloud called out, now looking around the crowd wildly. Willowfall didn't know what to do. She felt as if she were watching a performance and that it wouldn't be appropriate for her to take part in it. "I-"

"Snowcloud!" Minnowstar hissed. "You are wearing my patience. I suggest you return to camp before I make your punishment worse than it is already."

Snowcloud gaped at her, quickly shaking her head, looking utterly defeated and hopeless.

"Wait..."

Ears pricked and heads turned to where a voice had come from. When Willowfall saw who it was, she stared. Olivepaw and Ratpaw were standing up next to each other, ears flattened.

"...It's true," muttered Olivepaw, just loud enough for everyone to hear. "Snowcloud's telling the truth. I... I saw it happen. I saw her kill Emberheart. I was there."

"And... Willowfall told me about Graystar," Ratpaw said faintly, his eyes closed, looking pained as he shook his head gently. "Snowcloud... Snowcloud's right."

Once again, silence took over. The only thing that could be heard was the rustling of dead branches as the harsh wind swept by.

Willowfall was staring at Olivepaw and Ratpaw, though she could sense as everyone, slowly, turned their heads to look at her. Finally, she made herself look around the island. The eyes of dozens of cats glinted in the moonlight, some of them wide with disbelief, some of them shaking their heads and looking around at others, not sure whether to really believe it or not.

Finally, Minnowstar said, more quietly this time, "...Willowfall?"

The medicine cat stiffly forced herself to look up at her leader. Her expression was hard, but otherwise impossible to read. The beautiful she-cat's silhouette was dark against the sky, but the moonlight shone on her features, including her deep frown.

Willowfall swallowed and replied quietly, her voice scratchy, "Yes, Minnowstar?"

"...It isn't true, is it?" Minnowstar asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper. She turned her head away, apparently unable to look at her. "Tell me it isn't true. Tell me and everyone else that there's been a mistake."

Willowfall looked up at her, feeling a sharp pain stab at her heart. She could feel the gazes of every single cat on the island burn into her pelt. The silence was overwhelming. She felt dizzy and sick. She opened her mouth to speak, but she found that her throat had closed and no words could come out. Finally, with a frown, she lowered her gaze, tail lowering and ears flattened.

"...So it _is_ true," Minnowstar murmured. Willowfall flinched at her words and raised her head, eyes wide, to look around the clearing. Harestep was looking at her, but when she caught his gaze, he turned his face away. She spotted some of her fellow Clanmates- Swallowflight, Bluepelt, Briarclaw... Ravenheart, Cinderblaze, Icewhisker... Cinderblaze and Swallowflight were gaping at her, their eyes wide and shining brightly. Bluepelt looked at her before turning away. Ravenheart and Icewhisker had deep frowns on their face, and Briarclaw kept shaking his head, eyes wide, apparently refusing to believe it.

And then she spotted Frostpaw. The medicine cat apprentice was staring at her, blue eyes huge and glimmering with shock and emotion and disbelief. Her ears flattened, and she looked completely helpless and unable to comprehend just what exactly had just been said. She shook her head slowly, as if asking, _begging_ her mentor to deny what Snowcloud and the others were saying. Willowfall felt another sharp pain and rigidly turned away, unable to look at her any longer.

"...My mother," came the soft voice of Minnowstar. Willowfall winced slightly and raised her head to look at her. The leader had closed her eyes, her head bent low. But when she opened them and looked at the medicine cat, they were suddenly flaming, narrowed to slits, her fur standing on end and her tail lashing wildly. "My mother... All this time, I thought it had been an accident. That she'd slipped off the dock and drowned." She shook her head before beginning to make her way down the tree. Anxious murmurs began all around as everyone watched the leader hastily make her way towards Willowfall, lips pulled back. Blossomstar looked quite entertained. "You _killed_ her! You killed my _mother!"_

Suddenly aware that her leader intended to attack her, Willowfall stumbled backwards, eyes wide as she shook her head.

"Minnowstar-"

"You traitor!" hissed Minnowstar loudly. Everyone's eyes were on the two of them. "Murderer!"

Willowfall looked wildly around her, unable to think, not knowing what to do. Everyone stared at her, silent again. They didn't know what to do, either.

And then, without any warning, Minnowstar suddenly leaped forward, knocking the surprised Willowfall to the snowy ground.

Then, everyone began to panic. Cats were yelling out at them and to each other as a crowd formed around them. Those in the back were pushing through, trying to see. Some of them hid their faces, unable to watch. Willowfall let out a gasp as she looked up at Minnowstar, who had pinned her to the ground. In a fury, the leader raised a paw, ready to strike. But before she could, Willowfall kicked out her back legs and managed to roll out from under her. She quickly got to her paws and turned to face Minnowstar, who was bristling in fury.

"Minnowstar, stop!" she breathed. "I don't want to fight you!"

The leader didn't seem to hear. She ran forward again, blinded by anger and sadness... mostly sadness. Willowfall could see it in her eyes and she felt another sharp pang of regret.

Minnowstar lashed out her paw again, but this time, Willowfall didn't dodge it in time. Sharp claws slashed her shoulder, and the medicine cat let out a sharp cry of pain as blood began to trickle down her pale, moonlit fur. The next thing she knew, she was shoved to the ground again and felt claws sink into her shoulders. She looked up at her attacker, wincing, seeing her paw rise against the shape of the full moon. Willowfall clenched her eyes shut.

But the next thing she knew, the weight was pushed off of her and she heard a voice yell, _"Stop!"_

Opening her eyes, she breathlessly got to her paws, a bit shaky, and lifted her head. Her eyes widened at what she saw, and she took a tiny step back.

"Blacktail..."

Blacktail had pushed Minnowstar to the ground; the latter was now getting to her paws, glaring at him in fury.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. "This isn't your fight!"

"It isn't yours, either, Minnowstar," Blacktail said quietly, calmly. "You have to stop fighting. Hurting Willowfall isn't going to solve any of this. And it isn't going to bring your mother back."

"Shut up!" rasped Minnowstar, shaking her head as she stood up, trembling just slightly. "Shut up-"

"Listen to me, Minnowstar," Blacktail murmured, his voice not much louder than a whisper. Willowfall could just barely hear. "You _need_ to stop fighting. Please."

Willowfall watched silently, her shoulders still stinging and feeling emotion well up inside of her. Why had Blacktail come to help her? Why...? Hadn't he wanted nothing to do with her anymore? She tried to meet his gaze, but he avoided it.

Minnowstar lowered her head, apparently thinking something over. Finally, she stood up, looking at Willowfall straight in the eyes. Her own were narrowed with distaste, but she lifted her head and lashed her tail.

"Very well," she said loudly for everyone else to hear. "Willowfall, what you have done defies the code of StarClan. But I'm sure you know that by now." She shifted, and everyone watched, silent. "Willowfall, you are hereby exiled from ShadowClan. You have until dawn to leave the Clans' territory. If you are seen after that, you will be treated as an enemy. If you have anything to say, say it now."

It was completely silent as the medicine cat stood there, blue eyes wide, feeling as if claws were gripping her chest. She blinked a few times, hesitantly glancing around at all the eyes that were on her. Many of her own Clanmates were looking away in disbelief. She spotted Frostpaw, her head on Ratpaw's shoulder, eyes closed as she shook her head softly. She caught Ratpaw's gaze; he frowned and looked down at his paws. She looked over at Snowcloud; the warrior was still standing by the roots of the tree, her expression impossible to read before she, too, looked away.

Willowfall let out a shaky breath of air. Exile. She was... She was exiled. She was banished from ShadowClan, from these cats that she had grown up with and spent her whole life with. She couldn't come back. She was "an enemy."

She swallowed with quite a bit of effort and let out another raspy breath, realizing that all eyes were on here, waiting for her to say something, anything, to explain herself, to confirm all the horrible things she'd done.

She shifted slightly, at first, not knowing what to do or say. There didn't seem to be any point in defending herself, claiming it wasn't true. Snowcloud... The only way she could have found out was if Ratpaw or Olivepaw told her, wasn't it? No... What about Emberheart? She had been planning this. She had been seeing Snowcloud in her dreams, waiting for this Gathering. Even after her death, Emberheart wanted her revenge, and it seemed as if she would do anything and use anyone to get it.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she let out a deep breath, closed her eyes for just a moment before opening them again, and looked over the entire crowd. Straightening up, she began to speak.

"...I was seeing a tom from another Clan," she said slowly. Everyone was silent. Many seemed shocked. She caught Blacktail's gaze for just a moment before he looked down at his paws. Willowfall swallowed and continued. "...I was pregnant with his kits. I was meeting him one night, and... Graystar... Graystar had followed me. She heard everything." She flicked an ear, glancing around uncomfortably. The silence was overwhelming. "...She told me that the minute my kits were born, she would kill them," she said, a bit louder. This caused a few cats to murmur quietly to themselves in surprise. Willowfall flicked her tail.

"...I wanted to protect them," she murmured. "I didn't think it was fair that my kits should die because of what I chose to do in my life. I... I was angry, I pushed her off of the dock... She fell into the lake. I didn't mean for it to happen-"

"Foxdung," hissed Minnowstar, eyes still flaring with anger. "If you didn't mean for it to happen, why didn't you save her?"

"Could you let me finish?" growled Willowfall, irritated. Minnowstar narrowed her eyes, but kept quiet. All eyes returned to the medicine cat.

"...I couldn't let her take the lives of innocent kits," she said, her voice growing soft again. She felt a sudden, intense pang of sorrow, but she tried to push past it. "I ran away. I was scared, and confused... I wanted what was best for my kits. _And_ for the tom that I was seeing." This time, she couldn't bring herself to look at Blacktail, but she sensed his eyes on her. The she-cat looked up at the sky; the stars were twinkling magnificently. "Graystar drowned," she said softly. "I didn't know that it would happen. I just wanted what was best for my kits." She looked back at the crowd; some of their expressions had changed to something like sympathy. "I'm sure every mother here can relate to me," she said quietly. Glancing around, she saw Swallowflight and Bluepelt lower their heads.

"Don't you _dare_ try to gain their sympathy," spat Minnowstar. "The fact remains that you broke the warrior code by having a mate, let alone a mate form another Clan. And what about Emberheart? Are you going to claim that you killed _her_ for the good of your kits, _too?"_

"Actually," said Willowfall bitterly, eyes narrowed as she looked at her leader, "Yes, I am. Emberheart told me one night that she had to talk to me, so she led me out into the woods. And she told me that if I didn't get out of ShadowClan, then she would kill my kits."

"You're lying," growled Minnowstar. "Emberheart wouldn't do something like that."

"Really?" Willowfall mewed, voice edgy with sarcasm as she lashed her tail. "She's hated me ever since her son died. Badgerkit. He had eaten deathberries, but Emberheart blamed me for letting him die. In her eyes, I killed him. She couldn't _stand_ me. So she threatened me with the lives of my kits. _She _attacked _me_ first. I was only defending myself. I was trying to push her away, and she felt backwards, hitting her head on a rock. _That's_ how she died. Listen," she said, raising her voice, as now quite a few cats were murmuring to themselves in confusion. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. Any of it. But if I said that I regretted what I've done, I would be lying. Protecting my kits is the most important thing a mother can do. I did what I thought had to be done, and that's all."

She let out a deep breath as silence once again enveloped the crowd. Some of these cats actually looked like they understood. Especially the mothers.

"Minnowstar," Willowfall said quietly, looking at her leader in the eyes. "You've never had kits. You'll never understand what a mother would do to protect her family. Ever."

"Silence!" the silver tabby hissed. "That doesn't excuse what you have done. None of this would have happened if you had obeyed the warrior code and hadn't had a mate in the first place. You've had the chance to explain yourself. Your words aren't changing my verdict. You murdered my mother, and I will never forget that. Now get out. We're done here."

Willowfall stared at her, fur prickling. She hadn't expected Minnowstar to change her mind. In fact, she was becoming more and more aware that she didn't ever want to deal with this cat again. Minnowstar was blinded by her own emotions, just like Emberheart had been.

But what about the others? Her friends, the other medicine cats, Frostpaw... And what would Onespot think when he found out what had happened? Would she ever see any of these cats again?

She finally turned away, trying to push the thoughts out of her mind. The eyes of dozens of cats remained burning through her pelt as she at first walked, and then began to run away from the crowd. Breaking through the undergrowth, she trotted over the log-bridge. She ran through the snowy fields, the island behind her. Her mind was surprisingly clear, but she tried to put her focus on running. She didn't know where she was going, but she couldn't come back. She tried not to think about the ones she was leaving behind; for some reason, Blacktail kept appearing in her mind.

Shaking her head, she kept running, the moon above her lighting her path, the cats on the island growing more and more distant.

**Heh, at least it only took me two weeks to update this time instead of a month? D;**

**Review and I'll love you forever and you'll get some chocolate :)**

**Till next time,**

**Pearly**


	32. Chapter 31: Thunder

**Hey guys... sigh I am so sorry and you don't even have to say it, I know this is sooooo late. Like it's embarrassing. I'm sorry. And I know I probably say this all the time but I really am going to try harder to update more. I'm setting a goal for a new chapter once a week. Now that I'm done with college apps (yay!) it should be a little easier. Bear with me, guys, and thanks for staying with me for so long and through my awful lack of updating :( But this story will continue and I will finish it just like I planned :)**

**Recap: Snowcloud announces at the Gathering that Willowfall killed Graystar and Emberheart. Willowfall realizes that this is what Badgerkit meant when he told her to make sure Snowcloud didn't come to this Gathering. Minnowstar dismisses the claim, but Olivepaw and Ratpaw step up, supporting Snowcloud. Minnowstar is furious that Willowfall killed her mother, and begins to fight her, but Blacktail steps in and stops them. Willowfall explains that she was just trying to protect her kits and would do like any other mother would do. But Minnowstar exiles her, and Willowfall runs off.**

Chapter 31

_Thunder_

[Olivepaw]

The island was silent for an uncomfortably long time. Ears were pricked, heads still turned towards where Willowfall had just disappeared completely. A cold wind swept by, rustling the dead branches of the trees. No one spoke.

Olivepaw blinked slowly, ears flattened, realizing what had just happened. Willowfalll... She was gone. She was exiled.

She glanced over at Ratpaw; he was looking down at his paws. He glanced up at her, and they shared a look for just a second, both of them knowing that if they hadn't spoken up, this wouldn't have happened.

But they'd done the right thing, right? Everyone had to know the truth about Willowfall and who she had killed. But after what she had told them all about her reasons, about protecting her kits and doing what any mother would do, the situation seemed to have changed a bit. Olivepaw thought of her mother, Bramblestripe, and lowered her head when she became certain that she would have done the same thing. Had Olivepaw been wrong?

She blinked, lifting her head and looking over her shoulder. Snowcloud was standing there, completely still, expression impossible to read. How did _Snowcloud_ know about all this? Olivepaw thought she and Ratpaw had been the only ones. She narrowed her eyes slightly; what exactly was going on?

Turning back to Ratpaw, she saw that he was now comforting Frostpaw. The white she-cat was standing, staring at the spot where her mentor had left, eyes huge, mouth open slightly, trembling a little. She had looked up to Willowfall so much. Ratpaw pressed himself against her, wrapping his tail around her, whispering something in her ear that Olivepaw couldn't hear.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, somebody spoke up.

"Well, now."

Heads turned back towards the great tree; Blossomstar was still sitting delicately on one of the branches, mismatching eyes glinting in the light of the full moon overhead. She was smiling. "Wasn't that a show?" She laughed lightly. "Who would have thought that even your own _medicine_ cat would turn against you, Minnowstar?"

"Shut up, Blossomstar," growled Harestep from the roots, looking up at her with distaste.

"I don't think it's your place to tell me what I can and cannot do, Harestep," Blossomstar replied smoothly, licking a paw. "Now, Minnowstar. There is something we need to discuss."

Minnowstar was still on the ground, standing rigidly still, watching where Willowfall had left. She still seemed shaken up, but what she was really feeling at that moment was impossible to tell. Flattening her ears, she turned and lifted her head to look at Blossomstar, a frown on her face, eyes surprisingly calm. No, not calm, just... emotionless.

"What is it, Blossomstar?" she asked quietly.

Blossomstar grinned widely at this, her teeth glinting.

"If you'd recall the last Gathering we had, I believe I offered for your Clan to join mine," she mewed. "And it seems that your Clan and ThunderClan have instead combined to form some sort of resistance against me, is that right?"

Minnowstar glared at her, but she didn't respond. She seemed angry, of course, but it was something more than that. Olivepaw could sense a deep sadness in her.

Blossomstar ignored her lack of response and continued. "Even so, however, RiverClan is currently much larger _and_ stronger than what ShadowClan has become. We gave you a moon to consider your position, and now I'm going to extend my offer once again. Minnowstar, will you agree to join your Clan with mine and become one?" She smiled widely, eyes gleaming. "Think of everything we can accomplish. A time of peace and equality for everyone... Doesn't that sound nice?"

Minnowstar still couldn't respond; instead, Harestep got up and rushed to his leader's side, glaring up at Blossomstar, lips pulled back.

"You know as well as we do that if that were to happen, there wouldn't be _any_ equality," he growled. "You just want power over all four Clans. What are you talking about this _peace_ foxdung? That isn't what you want!"

The grin on Blossomstar's face suddenly disappeared, and her eyes twinkled darkly. But a second later, it was over, the smile returning to her face.

"Don't talk about things you don't know about," she purred in a sing-song voice, straightening up and focussing back on Minnowstar. "Minnowstar, this is your last chance. Join our Clans together. Under my leadership, every single cat in this land will thrive. If you refuse, then I will have to resort to... _different_ means," she purred.

Minnowstar didn't speak. She looked at Blossomstar for a long time, frowning. Every cat on the island was watching her, holding their breaths. No one could predict her answer. Olivepaw swallowed and shared a worried glance with Ratpaw. The wind ruffled their pelts.

Finally, Minnowstar lowered her head, ears flattened. Olivepaw felt her heart stop. This was it. She was giving up. She was going to give all of her power to Blossomstar, who would rule over all of them. ShadowClan was over. It was dead. Blossomstar won.

But after a moment, Minnowstar murmured, just loud enough to hear, "...Never."

Olivepaw pricked her ears in surprise; glancing around, she saw that cats were murmuring anxiously to each other, eyes widened in surprise. A few RiverClan cats were glaring at her, lips pulled back.

Even Blossomstar seemed surprised; she blinked a few times, a puzzled frown on her face. But she quickly covered it up, returning to her old smile.

"...What did you say, Minnowstar? I couldn't quite-"

"Listen to me_,_ Blossomstar," Minnowstar suddenly hissed, ears flattened and fur prickling. "I have lost almost _everything. _My mother... My father... And now my medicine cat. And there have already been too many deaths of Clanmates this Leafbare. If you don't think that I'd give _anything_ to protect my Clan- the ones that I have left- then you'd better think again. I would _die_ for them, and if that's the price I have to pay for their freedom, then fine. But if you think I'm just going to _give up_, then you're wrong, Blossomstar. Because whether or not you know this, StarClan is on _our_ side. And StarClan will _not_ let you do this."

"How gallant of you," purred Blossomstar, lashing her tail. "But do you not realize that if you refuse my offer, there will be even _more_ deaths? And it will all be _your_ fault. You are sentencing every one of your Clanmates to death by refusing. You think that what you're doing is what's best for them, but it's not, Minnowstar. It's what's best for _you._ For your _pride_. Because the truth is, your cats are going to die, and you would have been the only one who could have stopped it."

"Don't you _dare_ make that threat," snarled Minnowstar, her eyes now burning with anger. "StarClan has surely turned its back on you, for everything that you've done. There were always meant to be _four_ Clans."

"And how do you know that?" Blossomstar shot back, her smile once again fading and now seeming quite defensive and irritated. "How do you know that it wasn't the will of StarClan for _change_ to happen? For evolution?" The white she-cat then straightened up and made her way down the trunk, jumping and landing neatly on her paws. The cats all around were shifting restlessly, exchanging glances and murmuring to each other as they stared at the two leaders, waiting for whatever was about to happen.

Minnowstar narrowed her eyes to slits, but she stood her ground. She seemed like her old self again.

"My Clan means more to me than anything," she growled, resolution in her voice. "I am _not_ letting you take that away from me."

"I see," murmured Blossomstar, turning away. "If this is how you want it to go, then so be it."

Silence filled the island, the tension so high that it could be cut with a knife. Olivepaw flattened her ears, waiting for what seemed inevitable.

And then, with a flick of a tail, a look over her shoulder and a small smile, Blossomstar said calmly, "...Attack."

Everything began to happen so fast that Olivepaw could barely see. One minute, everyone had sat in silence, no one uttering a word. And now, snarls and screams and hisses filled the air as cats lunged forward, lips pulled back and claws flexed, ready to attack. Most of the RiverClan cats had seemed eager to fight, and now they had their chance.

Everything became a blur. Cats were yowling and screeching as they dragged each other to the ground. Blood began to splatter, staining the snowy ground. Olivepaw's head pounded as she quickly looked around, trying to snap out of it.

Icewhisker and Ravenheart were fighting side by side against Thornfang and Sunnyheart from RiverClan; they looked about evenly matched. But some of the others... Antfur was fighting off two RiverClan cats by himself. So were Rainspot, Ferretheart, and Briarclaw. Bluepelt was guarding her son, Brokenpaw, who was trying to help her mother against two ShadowClan she-cats. Swallowflight was looking around nervously, but soon began to help Bluepelt. Meanwhile, Bumbleclaw was face to face with Sagewhisker, whose promised role of leadership had been taken away from her. She was muttering something that Olivepaw couldn't hear before she sprung at him, bowling him to the ground.

Glancing to her left, Olivepaw saw that Ratpaw was leading a still distraught Frostpaw away from the fighting and into the cover of the bushes, where Bluebird and Forestwind, RiverClan's medicine cats, where already waiting to help the wounded. Elsewhere, Harestep was fighting beside Minnowstar against three RiverClanners. Where was Blossomstar?

Olivepaw flattened her ears. The fight had just begun and she could already tell that they were losing. They were outnumbered, and Frostpaw was their only medicine cat now that Willowfall was gone and Onepost was back at camp.

She quickly shook her head. She couldn't think like that. Right now, she just had to help her Clanmates.

But before she could even move a paw, she suddenly felt a weight crash into her, knocking her to the cold, icy ground with a thud.

Wincing, Olivepaw looked up to see who her attacker was. She recognized Tanpaw, the small, light-brown she-cat from RiverClan that she had fought during RiverClan's attack on ShadowClan over a moon ago. The she-cat's green eyes were glowing brightly, a smug smile on her face.

"Remember me?" she mewed with a smirk.

"Yeah," Olivepaw grunted. "You're that obnoxious kit from last time who thinks she's _so_ smart and strong when she's actually just a pain."

An angry frown filled Tanpaw's face, but it was quickly replaced with a smirk. Olivepaw flicked an ear, wondering if she and Blossomstar were related.

"Don't act all tough," she purred. "Remember what I told you last time? I was right, wasn't I? Wasn't I?" She grinned, pinning Olivepaw onto her back and digging her claws into her shoulders. The older cat hissed and kicked out her back legs, pushing Tanpaw off.

"What are you going on about?" grumbled Olivepaw as she got to her feet, eyes narrowed. "You were right about what?"

"I _told_ you that there wouldn't be four Clans for long. That ThunderClan would fall, and then ShadowClan. Look around you!" she laughed, glancing about, a look of pure joy on her face. "We're destroying you! Oh, what's that...? It looks like one of your cats is dead already!"

Olivepaw's eyes widened and she quickly looked around. "What?" she breathed. "Wh-..." She paused, seeing the mangled form of a cat, lying in the snow in a bloody heap, not moving an inch. Olivepaw nearly felt her heart stop. She took a small step forward, trying to see who it was...

"...Rainspot," she murmured, shaking her head, ears flat. Already one of their cats had been killed. How much longer did this need to continue? How many more lives would be taken tonight?"

"...See?" chuckled Tanpaw, licking a paw. "This is what you get for disobeying Blossomstar. It really was a stupid move of Minnowstar. She could have saved her Clanmates. But now, she has to watch them all die-"

"_Shut up!"_ snarled Olivepaw, suddenly blinded with anger. Without thinking, she lunged at the smaller cat, easily knocking her to the ground. Without even pausing, she raised a paw and lashed it against her stomach, blood splattering across the snow as Tanpaw let out a loud, course screech. But Olivepaw couldn't even hear her. She just kept dealing more blows, one after the other, until even her own pelt was stained with Tanpaw's blood. The RiverClan she-cat kept crying out, struggling under the weight of the dark brown tabby, but she was growing weaker and weaker, her yells fainter and fainter. Soon, Tanpaw wasn't making any noise at all. But Olivepaw kept lashing out, blind by anger and sorrow and fear, the only thing that she knew to be completely true was that Rainspot wasn't going to be the only one to die tonight. Tanpaw was right. ShadowClan was being destroyed.

Finally, Olivepaw stopped. She was breathing loudly, her vision still hazy. Swallowing, she looked down at the battered figure of Tanpaw. She was covered in blood and wounds. Her mouth was open, and so were her green eyes, which were now gazing out into space, motionless.

Olivepaw took a few steps back, turning her head away. But she couldn't find remorse for what she just did. All she cared about was protecting her Clan.

She pricked her ears when she saw that Ratpaw had come back into the throng of fighting; he was fighting a ginger tom that Olivepaw recognized as Flamepaw, the brother of Russetpaw. Russetpaw had kept Olivepaw company when she'd been held prisoner in RiverClan.

She rushed forward to help Ratpaw, but they had paused and were now talking. She blinked and pricked her ears, trying to hear what they were saying.

"...I've been waiting for an opportunity to do this," Flamepaw was growling, eyes on fire. "To get back at you for what you did to my sister. You broke her heart."

Olivepaw's eyes widened slightly; had Ratpaw and Russetpaw been together...?

"This isn't the time for that," Ratpaw murmured. "Right now, I have a duty to fight for my Clan. And I will give every last ounce of my strength to do just that."

When Flamepaw hissed and raised a paw to strike, Olivepaw ran forward, skidding to a halt when she was at her brother's side.

"If you want to hurt Ratpaw, then you're going to have to go through me first," she growled, fur fluffed out and eyes narrowed to slits. Flamepaw curled his lip in distaste, but just when she thought he was going to attack, he turned and fled, disappearing into the crowd.

"Coward," she called after him, lashing her tail. She looked over at Ratpaw, who smiled slightly. He had a few slashes across his dark gray pelt.

"Thanks," he mewed.

"You okay?" Olivepaw replied, frowning.

Ratpaw nodded. "Yeah. Just a few scratches, nothing serious... What about you? You're covered in blood..."

"It isn't my blood," Olivepaw muttered. "Ratpaw... Rainspot's dead. I saw her."

Ratpaw frowned, lowering his head. "So is Antfur."

"How long is this going to go on?" Olivepaw breathed, shaking her head. "At this rate, our entire Clan will be wiped out!"

"I know," murmured Ratpaw. "We just-"

_"No!"_ came a sudden squeal, causing Olivepaw to jump. She and Ratpaw exchanged a glance and looked around for the source of the cry.

And then, Olivepaw saw Brokenpaw, his blue-gray fur spotted with blood, blue eyes glinting in the moonlight, wide and shining. He was standing over the shape of a cat lying in a heap in the snow...

"Oh, StarClan," whispered Olivepaw when she realized who it was. She ran forward, Ratpaw right behind her.

On the ground was Bluepelt, Brokenpaw's mother. She was covered in gashes, blood dripping from her wounds and staining the snow. She lay on her side, breathing shallowly, her mouth open and eyes dull and half-closed. She was alive, but barely.

"Brokenpaw, what happened?" Olivepaw rasped.

"Olivepaw, we need to take her to Frostpaw," Ratpaw said quickly. "Help me carry her. She'll be fine-"

"S... Stop," rasped Bluepelt before she began to violently cough. She blinked slowly, a faint, tiny smile spreading across her face. "D... Don't... She can't... help..."

"Yes, she _can!"_ insisted Ratpaw, shaking his head. "She can, I know it!"

"Ratpaw, stop," murmured Olivepaw quietly. They shared a long look before he finally looked away, silent.

"M-Mom," whispered Brokenpaw, eyes wide as he looked down at his mother in horror. He was trembling. "D-Don't... I... Everything's going to be okay, I-I..." He shook his head, looking like a little kit who was lost. "You can't leave me..."

Bluepelt looked up at her son, a small but warm smile on her face. She let out another cough, weaker this time, before saying, "You... have Little...paw... You're going... to be fine..."

Brokenpaw just shook his head, looking scared, not knowing what to do.

"Don't... worry about... me," rasped Bluepelt, her voice growing quieter. "Besides... Now I can... finally see... Icepaw again..."

"Mom," breathed Brokenpaw before pressing his face against hers, shaking. "Please..."

"I... love you, Brokenpaw..." whispered Bluepelt, her voice now barely audible.

"Mom...!"

And with that, the she-cat slowly closed her eyes, her breathing coming to a halt. She was still.

Brokenpaw shook his head again, nuzzling his mother before taking a small step back, staring at his paws.

"...She died to save me," he said quietly. "A bigger tom was fighting me... He would have killed me if she hadn't come to save me... Oh, StarClan..."

Olivepaw frowned, bowing her head. Ratpaw did the same.

"She'll be happy in StarClan, Brokenpaw," Olivepaw assured him. "I promise."

Brokenpaw didn't respond. He just lowered his head, murmuring something softly under his breath.

Olivepaw straightened up, looking around. Fighting was still going on all around them, and the scent of blood was stronger than ever before. She could see the dark shapes of several still bodies lying in the snow in heaps, but she couldn't tell who they were.

But before she could do anything, another yowl rang out.

_"Blossomstar!"_

Olivepaw flinched and looked quickly around. A few others had stopped fighting, too, to see what was going on.

"Come on," Ratpaw whispered in Olivepaw's ear, and the two hurriedly shoved through the crowd to get to the front.

Spotting Ravenheart, they ran to his side.

"Ravenheart, what's going on?" Ratpaw breathed.

The sleek black tom sent them a sideways glance before flattening his ears.

"See for yourself," he muttered.

The two apprentices crept forward a few steps and then halted, completely still. Before them, Minnowstar was standing, panting, blood splattered all over her pelt, her head low. Another cat lay at her paws, almost unrecognizable by the amount of blood that had coated its pelt. But whoever it was, they weren't moving.

Olivepaw narrowed her eyes, taking another tiny step forward to get a closer look- it took her a few seconds to realize that the cat laying mangled and bloodied on the ground, not moving a muscle, was Harestep.

"StarClan," Olivepaw breathed, stumbling backwards. By now, the fighting had mostly stopped, and everyone was now crowding around Minnowstar, anxious and confused mutters filling the clearing. The RiverClanners watched silently, some of them with small, satisfied smirks on their faces.

Finally, Blossomstar lifted her head; her blue eyes were narrowed to slits, burning brightly with anger and hatred and sadness.

"Who did this?" she hissed loudly, so aggressively that Olivepaw flinched. "Who did this? Who did this to Harestep!?"

"What a shame," an all-too-familiar voice said softly, calmly. Olivepaw blinked, and cats raised their heads to see Blossomstar standing on a branch of the big tree, looking down at the crowd with a grin, her mismatching eyes glimmering. "Don't worry, Minnowstar. Harestep will be remembered."

"You did this," growled Minnowstar, taking a step forward. Her ears were flattened against her skull, her fur fluffed out as she lashed her tail furiously. "You killed him, didn't you?"

"And what if I did?" Blossomstar replied calmly. "He's not the only one who's died tonight, is he?" She laughed lightly, shaking her head as if Minnowstar were a kit. "Didn't I tell you, Minnowstar? That if you didn't comply to my wishes, there would only be more deaths?"

Minnowstar pulled her lips back into a snarl, but she didn't say anything. For a few seconds, the island was completely silent.

"...Come down here," she finally muttered. "Come down, Blossomstar. I swear to StarClan, I'll-"

"You'll what?" laughed the RiverClan leader, raising her eyebrows. "Kill me? Is that what you'll do? Because I'd really like to see you try, Minnowstar, I really would."

"Please, stop," called an anxious voice. Heads turned to see Bluebird and Forestwind coming forward, side by side.

"The fighting needs to stop," Bluebird breathed, shaking her head. "StarClan is already furious. Look at the sky."

Olivepaw lifted her head; the full moon had disappeared, and dark, thick clouds were now covering the skies. In the distance, she thought that she could hear traces of thunder.

"Haven't enough cats died tonight?" Forestwind murmured. "We're only destroying ourselves."

"I am in full agreement, Forestwind," Blossomstar purred. "And really, none of you can blame _me_ for any of this. I offered peace. It was _Minnowstar_ who turned it down and decided to fight, instead." She looked down at Minnowstar, who had lowered her head. "Well, Minnowstar? What do you say? This has gone on long enough. If you want to come peacefully, then we'll forget this little scuffle ever happened. And if you still insist on fighting for your Clan..." She grinned. "Well, RiverClan can finish its job easily enough. So, what do you say?"

Olivepaw flattened her ears and peered over at Minnowstar. For the first time, she looked completely and utterly defeated.

"...Yes, Blossomstar," she said quietly, just loud enough to hear. "ShadowClan will go with you."

No one said anything in response. Several ShadowClan cats lowered their heads or murmured prayers under their breath, but it seemed as if everyone had expected this from the very beginning. A few RiverClanners grinned, lashing their tails.

"Excellent," purred Blossomstar, looking happier than ever. "In that case..." She straightened herself up, puffing her chest out and raising her head high. "From this day forward, there shall only be _one_ Clan- RiverClan. It shall be under _my_ rule, and everyone will follow _my_ orders. Isn't that right, Minnowbrook...?"

Olivepaw blinked several times, sharing a glance with Ratpaw. Minnowbrook must have been Minnowstar's name before she become a leader.

Minnowstar- or, Minnow_brook-_ didn't reply. She just hung her head, refusing to look at her Clanmates.

Blossomstar smiled, flicking her tail. "Today marks the start of a great new era," she called out, her voice louder. "An era of power, of strength, of greatness... For the first time, RiverClan rises above all the rest. And it shall be this way forevermore."

At this, several RiverClan cats began calling out, cheering, yelling with excitement and pleasure. Their cheers echoed throughout the night. And as Olivepaw closed her eyes and lay her head on her brother's shoulder, she could hear the thunder in the distance growing louder.

**Again, so sorry for the lack of updates ugh I'm gonna be way better from now on.**

**Thanks so much for reading :) Leave a review and I'll love you forever and give you virtual hugs~**

**Till next time!**

**Pearly**


	33. Chapter 32: Loners

**Look guys, I kept my promise and updated in a week! :D**

**Recap: After Willowfall's exile, Blossomstar asks Minnowstar to join with RiverClan. Minnowstar refuses, and a battle begins. Olivepaw ends up killing Tanpaw, a RiverClan she-cat. Many others die as well, like Bluepelt and Harestep, which enrages Minnowstar but forces her to admit defeat. Blossomstar declares that there is now only one Clan: RiverClan.**

Chapter 32

_Loners_

[Willowfall]

A cold wind blew and rustled the bare branches above the light gray she-cat curled up against the trunk of a tree. She shivered, curling into a tighter ball. A crow called out shrilly; Willowfall blinked open her eyes.

It was morning, but the sun was behind the clouds; it looked as if it would start snowing any minute. The she-cat winced, her head pounding as she stumbled to her paws. She looked around, for a moment confused and wondering where she was. She was in a forest... Had she fallen asleep in ShadowClan territory, instead of her den?

But when she realized how unfamiliar the forest seemed, that's when she remembered. She wasn't part of ShadowClan anymore. She'd been exiled the night before. She was a loner.

She let out a long sigh, shaking her pelt and sending snow flying off of it. The scenes from the night before were replaying in her head. Snowcloud appearing and telling everyone what Willowfall had done... Minnowstar's reaction... How she'd tried to justify her actions but no one would listen to her.

She had kept running until she'd been sure she had left Clan territory. Exhausted and not knowing where else to go, she'd curled up beside a tree and fell asleep after several hours.

She flattened her ears, looking around. She was desperately trying not to let fear and hopelessness grip her, but... it was the middle of Leafbare. There was hardly any food. And she wasn't much of a fighter; how was she supposed to defend herself? And all her herbs... they were back at camp. If she got hurt, she'd have to find a new stash, and in this weather, that was pretty unlikely.

She began to walk. She didn't know where she was going, but then again, she didn't have anywhere to go. The only thing that was on her mind now was Snowcloud. How... How did she know...? Perhaps Ratpaw and Olivepaw had told her. But why, _why_ did she have to announce it in front of the entire Clan? _And_ in front of RiverClan? Why had Snowcloud seemed so keen on ruining her life?

She blinked, suddenly remembering the way Blacktail had stopped Minnowstar from attacking her. She narrowed her eyes, trying to push that thought away. The last thing she needed right now was to think about Blacktail.

She froze, scenting a squirrel nearby. Swallowing, she bent low to the ground and crept forward; she spotted it on the root of a tree, grooming itself. She inched forward, staying low to the ground... It kept grooming itself...

She took another step forward, and just as she was about to pounce, it suddenly lifted its head and stared right at her. It turned and began to dart away.

"No!" breathed Willowfall. Desperately, she began to chase after it, but after a few seconds, it slipped through a hole in the ground between two roots.

"Foxdung," she hissed, irritated. She'd been taught to hunt, but she never got as much practice as the warriors did. Her stomach rumbled, and she flattened her ears.

"...You were approaching it from the wrong direction," a voice suddenly mewed. Willowfall jumped and quickly turned around, claws flexed, heart racing.

Several foxlengths away, perched upon a log, was a tom. He was quite tall and thin, but he looked fairly well-fed, and Willowfall couldn't see his bones. His fur was a pale tan color, except for his face, ears and paws, which were dark brown. His tail was, too, but the only thing left of it was a small stub. He had crystal-blue eyes that were blinking softly at Willowfall, a small smile on his face. He was quite handsome.

Willowfall stared at him, stunned. Whoever this cat was, she didn't know him.

"W...Who are-"

"You see, you were stalking it in the direction of the wind," he mewed as he jumped from the log and landed neatly on his paws. "The squirrel scented you before you even had time to jump. If you want to catch prey, then you have to move in the _opposite_ direction of the wind."

Willowfall just stared at him, blinking a few times, not quite sure what to do.

"Anyway, you're not going to have much luck in this part of the woods, anyhow," he continued, glancing around. "That squirrel is the first animal I've seen around here in a while. Other than you, of course."

"Okay, just... Who _are_ you?" breathed Willowfall, shaking her head. "And as much as I appreciate your time, I _don't_ need lessons on how to hunt-"

"You're a medicine cat," the tom interrupted. "You never learned much about hunting, did you?"

Willowfall took a small step back, shaking her head. "How... How did you..."

The tom smiled. "I'm sure you have a lot to talk about, and I do, too. So why don't we go somewhere warmer and-"

"I'm not going _anywhere_ with you," growled Willowfall. "You're going to tell me, right here and right now, how exactly you knew that I was a medicine cat."

The tom sighed, though he didn't seem impatient, and that small, slightly lopsided smile was still on his face.

"Just a hunch."

"Do you know about the Clans?" Willowfall pressed, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, I do," he replied swiftly. "Though I wouldn't find that too surprising. All the loners around here know about you lot."

"So you're a loner, then?"

He smiled. "Always have been, always will."

"Well, it... It was nice to meet you, but I've got to be on my way," Willowfall murmured, turning and beginning to pad away.

"And just where do you plan on going?"

Willowfall paused, a deep frown on her face. She narrowed her eyes, staring at the ground for a few moments.

"You're hungry, aren't you?" the tom pressed, taking a step forward with a flick of his stubby tail. "Come with me. I'll find you something to eat. I know exactly where to find prey-"

"I don't _need_ your help," Willowfall shot back, glancing over her shoulder. "If you don't mind, I'd rather continue on by myself. Thank you for the offer, but I really need to go."

She didn't wait for him to respond before she kept walking briskly. A small part of her was complaining that she didn't follow this tom and get some food, but how could she trust him? How could she trust _anyone_ anymore...? _I guess I won't need to worry about _that, _now that I'm a loner,_ she thought darkly. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure the tom wasn't following her, but he was nowhere in sight.

She sighed, flattening her ears as she kept walking. She went through her options in her mind. She knew she couldn't go back to Clan territory, even though she was more likely to find prey there. She blinked softly. In the mountains, there was a tribe known as The Tribe of Rushing Water. She'd only heard about it in stories and had never seen these cats- in fact, she didn't even know for sure that the tribe still existed-, but if she found these cats, then...

She lowered her eyes. And why would anyone accept a loner like her? A murderer who'd been exiled?

She tried pushing those thoughts away, putting all her focus onto finding food. The wind blew coldly, ruffling her fur. She shivered, lowering her head.

_Frostpaw..._

She paused when the apprentice's name popped into her head and just stood there for a moment, mouth open slightly. She could picture it perfectly; last night, the way her apprentice had looked at her. How her blue eyes had been huge with disbelief and astonishment and sorrow... How she'd refused to look away, how she'd been silently begging Willowfall to deny everything.

She always looked up to her... And in a way, Willowfall looked up to her, too. She was so energetic and passionate about medicine. But not only that- she had a gift. StarClan had given her a gift. Willowfall envied her, almost; not because she had something StarClan had never given to _her,_ but because she seemed so innocent. Like she never had any troubles. Everyone liked her. Everyone, it seemed, except for her sister, Snowcloud.

She kept walking. The tall, bare, dark trees looming above her seemed cold and unwelcoming. A second later, she felt something cold land on her nose; looking up, she saw that it was beginning to snow.

Flattening her ears, she kept walking, shivering slightly.

A minute later, she paused, staring at the ground in curiosity. In the snow was a set of pawprints... But they were bigger than a cat's. By now, the snow was falling steadily. Whoever had left the prints, it must have been recently.

When a cold gust of air blew, a scent suddenly came over Willowfall that she was almost entirely unfamiliar. It was an animal, and it was close by. But it wasn't a cat. It was only vaguely familiar; where had she smelled it before...?

And then, out of the corner of her eye, something moved. Fur bristling, she whirled around.

Appearing from within several dead bushes came a black and white large animal. It had stripes on its face, a long snout, tiny, beady eyes, and long, black claws...

The she-cat tensed, eyes widening. It was a badger.

She had only seen one once in her life; moons ago, when she was just a medicine cat apprentice. She'd gone searching for herbs with her mentor and had come upon a patrol of warriors fighting off two of them. They'd been vicious and quite powerful; the warriors had sustained several bad injuries. That was the only time she'd ever seen one in the Clans' territory. But here she was, by herself, face to face with a badger that was probably more skilled at fighting than her. And what if there were more nearby?

The second it saw her, the badger pulled back its lips and let out a low snarl as it began to quickly lumber towards her. Willowfall lashed her tail, claws flexed as the larger animal approached, raising its paw to strike her.

She leaped out of the way, and before she had time to think, she lunged towards the animal, lashing her claws against its flesh. A few drops of blood splattered onto the snowy ground as the animal let out a loud growl, whipping around to face her. It towered over her, and Willowfall could practically feel its breath against her. For some reason, her fight with Emberheart flashed before eyes for just a moment. How they had gone out into the woods in the middle of the night and the way she had spat at her and accused her of murdering her son. And then, she'd suddenly attacked her, claws flexed, eyes glowing in the moonlight, a crazed look on her face. No, not crazed. It'd been more complicated than that. However much Emberheart had hated Willowfall, no matter how many threats she had made, a part of the medicine cat, though she almost hated to admit it, could understand Emberheart's feelings perfectly. Losing a child like that... And now, Emberheart was dead. But she wasn't with Badgerkit. She learned that when she'd met his ghost the night she'd tried to drown herself. She almost felt pity that even after death, they couldn't be together. She wondered why they couldn't.

In that moment, Willowfall had been so caught up with her thoughts that she'd barely noticed when the badger lifted its claws again, ready to strike. But by the time she had registered what was going on and before she could dodge it, she felt a strong, hard blow against the side of her head. The next thing she knew, she was on the ground in the snow.

Her head was pounding so painfully that she could hardly see. Everyone around her was white and fuzzy, and there was a dull ringing in her ears. Her heart was racing; she felt it slamming against her chest. She felt confused, and a second later, darkness began to envelop her, her eyes half-closed.

"...Willowfall..."

She blinked softly. Had someone called her? Or had that just been her imagination?

And then, for just a split second, she saw the figure of a cat before her, looking down at her with bright blue eyes. Who...?

Her eyelids flickered, and half a second later, everything was black.

. . .

_She was walking through flames..._

_ She was bloodied and battered..._

_ She was looking around at all the glinting eyes staring at her..._

_ She was with her kits..._

_She..._

Willowfall slowly blinked open her eyes, a dull pain still burning in her head. She shifted her weight and looked down to see that she was lying not on the snowy ground, but... in a bed of hay.

Alarmed, she lifted her head and looked around, her eyes widening at what she saw.

She wasn't out in the forest anymore. She was in a large room with wooden walls and ceilings; there were no windows. All around were huge stacks of hay; nothing else. Just hay.

Confused, the she-cat clenched her eyes shut, trying to remember what had happened...

"Oh, you're awake," came a voice suddenly. Willowfall's eyes flew open and she jumped to her paws, fur bristling. She winced a bit at her headache.

The voice came from a tan and brown tom with bright blue eyes and a small, stumpy tail... The tom she'd met in the forest earlier. He had a small smile on his face as he took a step towards her.

Warily, the medicine cat stepped back, claws flexed.

"What's going on, here?" she demanded breathlessly. "What is this place?"

"You should sit back down," the tom said, flicking an ear. "You were sure wiped out."

"What are you...?" That's when she remembered. There had been a badger in the woods. It had struck her, and... She guessed she must have passed out... And the tom that she saw... Had that been him?

"You were there," she murmured. "That was you, wasn't it? You... saved me from that badger."

"I just happened to find you, is all," he replied, sitting down. "You don't have any other injuries, but you were out for a long time."

"Yeah," Willowfall murmured. "My head's still killing me."

"Well, you shouldn't move around too much for the time being," the tom said, getting back to his feet. "Rest here for a while. I'll get you something to eat, you must be starving."

"W...Wait," Willowfall muttered, glancing around. "I... What _is_ this place...?"

The tom smiled lopsidedly. "This is an old barn. It was abandoned ages ago; now it's just me. It's perfectly safe, and there's usually a lot to eat around here."

"You live here?" she asked, blinking. The tom smiled.

"You seem surprised. Wait here, I'm going to go find some food."

Willowfall smiled very faintly, nodding her head slightly. She watched as the tom padded off and began to trot down a set of stairs. This seemed to be the attic.

She sighed, sitting back down, realizing how lucky she was that this tom had been there when she could have been killed. But she still felt a bit uneasy. Had he followed her...?

She stiffened, suddenly remembering something. Right before she had blacked out, the tom... had said her name... How did he know her name? She hadn't told him before, had she? No, she didn't think so...

A wary feeling came over her. Somehow, this cat knew about her. And he seemed to want something. She bit her lip, her mind churning. Should she try to sneak out? Or should she wait here and hear what he had to say? She flattened her ears, letting out a sigh. Her head was pounding.

Just a minute later, the tom reemerged from the staircase; a mouse was dangling from his jaws. Padding up to her, he put it at her feet.

"Eat up," he mewed. "Don't worry, I just ate. It's all yours."

She eyed him uneasily before looking down at the mouse. It was plumper than anything she'd seen since Greenleaf, and it looked delicious. So, despite herself, she quickly began to eat.

Neither of them said a word until she was finished.

"That's one perk of living in this place," the tom said, a soft, calm smile on his face. "There's almost always-"

"How did you know my name?"

The tom looked at her, surprised, before he laughed lightly.

"What? I don't believe you told me your name."

"No," Willowfall murmured, looking at her paws. "I... I remember. Right before I lost consciousness, you were there, and... And you said my name. I'm sure of it."

A frown fell on the tom's face; he flattened his ears and looked away.

"Tell me!" Willowfall pressed, lashing her tail. "And don't tell me it was 'just a hunch.' Just... Who _are_ you? How do you know my name, and that I'm a medicine cat?"

The tom let out a long sigh and smiled slightly.

"You're right," he mewed. "It's rather rude of me that I didn't introduce myself properly. My name is Leo; it's nice to meet you."

"Leo...?" Willowfall echoed, frowning, trying to remember where she'd heard the name before. Then she lifted her head and looked at him, slightly puzzled. "You... You're the cat that a ShadowClan patrol ran into, aren't you?"

He smiled slightly. "Could be."

"You... seem to know a lot about the Clans," Willowfall said quietly. "And about me. Now tell me how you know me."

Leo smiled at her, a little sadly.

"I had a vision about you. I knew that I was going to find you." He laughed lightly, shaking his head. "You don't believe me, I'm sure," he said. "And that's fine. But that's the truth. That's how I know your name."

She stared at him, for a moment nonplussed.

"So, what, you can read the future...?"

"Sort of," he replied. He raised his head to the ceiling. "Though I can't control it. The visions I get are random and can come at any time."

Willowfall narrowed her eyes, not entirely convinced. "Well, what else do you know about me, then? What else did the future tell you?"

Leo lowered his gaze to meet hers. He was smiling, and could surely sense Willowfall's disbelief, but he nonetheless continued.

"I know that you were the medicine cat of ShadowClan and were exiled for murder."

Willowfall stared at him, no longer sure how she was supposed to react. She shook her head slightly.

"And you know this...?"

"Because you told me," Leo replied. "Or, you will, anyway."

"You're crazy," muttered Willowfall. But that only made Leo chuckle lightly, shrugging.

"You're not the first cat who's told me that."

"If you can read the future," Willowfall said slowly, "then... Do you know what happens to my Clan? What happens to _me?"_

Leo's smile immediately vanished, and a dark look lingered on his face for just a moment.

"No, I... I don't know," he murmured, turning away. "I'm sorry."

Willowfall narrowed her eyes, but before she could say anything, Leo turned back to her, his smile back on his face.

"Anyway," he said, "stay as long as you want. This barn is pretty close to the Clans' territories, but you'll be safe here. No one will find you."

"...Thank you," Willowfall muttered quietly. "I appreciate what you've done for me. But I really shouldn't stay."

"At least stay until morning," Leo said. "The sun's already set. No use going out into the dark forest when you don't even know where you want to go. Besides, it's best if you rest from your encounter with that badger."

"It's night already?" the she-cat asked softly. There were no windows; it was impossible to tell. "By the way... Did you really fight off that badger by yourself? You don't even have any injuries..."

Leo just smiled slightly as he got to his paws.

"I'm going to get some sleep," he said, stretching. "I'll be over there. Wake me up if you need anything."

Willowfall watched with a small frown on her face as he turned and began to pad off towards a nest of hay a bit further off.

"...When you came to ShadowClan," she called after him, "you said something... You said something was going to happen to the Clans. Something inevitable. Leo, do... Do you know what's going to happen?"

The tom stopped walking, for a second motionless and silent. After a moment, he looked over his shoulder and smiled softly.

"...You're just going to have to wait and see for yourself."

And with that, he settled down in a bed of hay, curling up with his back to Willowfall, who stared at him wordlessly.

**I mean it was so long ago that you probably don't even remember when Leo first showed up but anyway lolol asdfas**

**Thanks so much for reading, y'all (: Leave a review and I'll write you your own personalized poem! x3**

**Till next time,**

**Pearly**


	34. Chapter 33: Across the Lake

**Hey hey, I've been pretty good with this new-chapter-every-week thing ;)**

**Recap: The next morning, Willowfall is wandering through the woods when she comes upon a strange tom. He offers to bring her somewhere warm, but she's wary of him, so she keeps going. She runs into a a badger, and tries to fight it, but is knocked out by a blow. She wakes up in a barn, under the care of the same tom, who calls himself Leo. Willowfall realizes this is the same loner that came onto ShadowClan territory a while ago, learns that he knows quite a lot about her. He tells her that he receives visions of the future, but claims he doesn't know what will happen to ShadowClan when she asks. He tells her he can spend as much time as she wants here.**

Chapter 33

_Across the Lake_

[Ratpaw]

Ratpaw slowly walked through the dark forest, his head lowered, ears flattened. Dark clouds had completely covered the skies, and in the far distance, thunder was still rumbling lightly. Flurries of snow fell from the sky as owls hooted from above. He walked alongside the other apprentices- Frostpaw was close to his side. Olivepaw and Cedarpaw were walking together, neither of them speaking. Grasspaw stayed a bit distant from the rest of them; he kept his gaze in front of him at all times. Littlepaw and Brokenpaw were behind them; Littlepaw was trembling, and Brokenpaw was trying to comfort him, though he looked just as distraught. After all, their mother had just been killed.

Bluepelt wasn't the only one who had been killed during The Battle of the Full Moon, as some ShadowClanners were already beginning to call it. Harestep, Antfur, Rainspot, Cinderblaze, and Ferretheart... They'd all been murdered. Bumbleclaw had just escaped being killed by Sagewhisker, but he sustained serious injuries, and as the huge group of cats now walked through the forest, Onespot and Icewhisker had to support him to keep him from collapsing. Many expected him to die at any moment.

Briarclaw, Cedarpaw's mentor, was in a similar state. Somehow during the fight, he had twisted his leg, leaving him practically immobile. As he followed behind the other cats, Darkstorm and Furzetail helped him walk.

On RiverClan's side, there had only been one death- a she-cat apprentice by the name of Tanpaw. Ratpaw knew that it had been Olivepaw who had killed her, and he feared what would happen to her if Blossomstar found out. Perhaps she already had.

The ex-ShadowClanners all followed behind the RiverClanners, many of which were talking and laughing amongst themselves as Blossomstar leaded them to her camp, a satisfied smile on her face.

_Ten minutes ago_

Blossomstar led her Clan through the trees; many ShadowClanners were still bleeding, leaving trails of red behind in the snow. Some of them had to be supported by friends. On the back of one cat lay the body of Tanpaw, the apprentice that had been killed by a ShadowClanner. But the bodies of the others, the ShadowClan cats that had died, were still laying on the island. It wouldn't be long before they'd be covered in snow.

Ratpaw stayed close to Snowcloud, Olivepaw, and Frostpaw as they walked. Blossomstar was taking them back to ShadowClan camp, where they would tell the cats who hadn't gone to the Gathering what had happened before they'd all return to RiverClan camp. None of them spoke to each other. Frostpaw brushed against Ratpaw; she was shaking. Frowning, he rest his tail on her back. He looked away.

A few minutes later, they reached ShadowClan camp. Blossomstar lashed her tail, bringing everyone to a halt. Her mismatching eyes glimmering, she looked at a silver she-cat.

"Minnowbrook," she mewed, addressing Minnowstar by her warrior name. "Go ahead. Tell your Clan exactly what happened- that six of your cats are dead because of you, and now, you are no longer their leader." She smiled broadly.

Minnowbrook didn't say anything. She didn't even look at her. She looked completely worn out, and her pelt was still sticky with blood. Flattening her ears, she made her way down the slope. No one followed her; everyone simply watched her from the top of the hollow. Ratpaw saw that a few cats, like Furzetail and Darkstorm, were already out in the open.

"Minnowstar!" Furzetail breathed, running over to her before stopping in her tracks. She was staring up at the mixture of ShadowClan and RiverClan cats at the top, her eyes wide with confusion.

"Minnowstar," she murmured; Ratpaw could just barely hear her. "What happened...?"

Minnowbrook looked at her, a deep frown on her face, before walking past her. She paused, staring up at the Tallstump; she looked hesitant for a moment, but after a few seconds, she climbed up; this would probably be the last time she'd ever stand here.

"Attention, ShadowClan cats!" she called out, lashing her tail. "Everyone, come outside! I have an announcement to make."

After a few seconds, cats began trickling out of their dens; Weaselfoot, Redwhisker, Spotfur, and Lightclaw emerged from the warriors' den, looking around in confusion. From the apprentices' den came Grasspaw, Littlepaw, and Cedarpaw. Ratpaw thought he could see Olivepaw catching Cedarpaw's gaze. Then Ratpaw and Olivepaw's mother, Bramblestripe, appeared from the nursery, along with Lightstream and Grayfeather. Clawstrike and Silvermist, the elders, slowly lumbered out of their den; they were muttering to each other as they looked around suspiciously. Onespot appeared from the medicine den, a deep frown on his face and a look in his eyes that suggested he already knew what was going on.

A second later, everything turned silent, and all eyes were on Minnowbrook. She let out a long breath of air. Despite how defeated she looked, she stood up straight and puffed out her chest, the last thing she could do to still make her look like the leader she was supposed to be. Everyone waited for her to speak.

"...A lot happened at tonight's Gathering," she spoke, looking around. "And I want to explain everything to you now, but I can't. But first I must tell you that Willowfall has been exiled."

There was a stunned silence among the cats who had remained behind. They quickly exchanged wide-eyed glances, whispering to each other.

"What...?" Onespot mewed, taking a few steps forward. "What do you mean, Willowfall's been...? She's your _medicine_ cat! What could _possibly_ be your reasons...?"

"She committed murder," Minnowbrook said simply, a deep frown on her face. "She killed Graystar and Emberheart."

"That's preposterous!" Onespot spat, shaking his head furiously. "She was framed! Somebody framed her!"

"She admitted to it, Onespot," Minnowbrook murmured, looking away. "...I'm sorry."

Onespot stared at her in disbelief as he kept shaking his head. He no longer seemed able to speak.

Minnowbrook let the silence settle in the air for only a moment before she continued.

"However, that is not our chief concern at the moment," she said quietly. "There was a battle tonight. Several have died. Bluepelt, Ferretheart, Antfur, Rainspot, Cinderblaze, and... and Harestep."

Once again, there was a shocked silence. But this time, it only lasted for a fraction of a second before Littlepaw cried out, "No...!"

Ratpaw frowned and looked at his paws.

"Mom!" Littlepaw cried. "She... She was...!?"

Furzetail hurriedly made her way over to the apprentice to try to comfort him, but he quickly pulled away.

"What in StarCan's name happened on that island!?" Littlepaw demanded, his voice rising and scratchy with emotion. His eyes were wide and he was trembling; he looked as if he were going to fall over at any moment. "How did this happen...?"

"I will explain it all later," Minnowbrook said, her voice low. "But right now, you all have to listen to me."

"Minnowstar," breathed Bramblestripe, shaking her head in horror. "What...?"

"My name," the silver she-cat responded, bloodied fur ruffling in the cold breeze that swept by, "...is no longer Minnowstar. Because ShadowClan... no longer exists. We are now under Blossomstar's rule." It seemed to have taken every ounce of her strength to utter those words, and when she was finished, she hung her head low.

There was a long, empty silence as another cold wind swept by.

_Present time_

Ratpaw narrowed his eyes as he stared at the ground, walking amongst the others. None of the ex-ShadowClanners had said anything since they'd left their former camp. Nothing _could_ be said. Six of their cats, including their _deputy_, had just been killed. Minnowstar had been stripped of her warrior name, and Blossomstar had erased ShadowClan. Not to mention Willowfall, their own medicine cat, had been exiled...

Ratpaw lifted his head, glancing over at Snowcloud. The white she-cat was walking silently, the expression on her face impossible to read. It had only just occurred to him; how had Snowcloud known about Willowfall? He'd thought it had just been him and Olivepaw. He wanted to ask her, but he felt that he should wait.

The cats broke out of the forest and were now walking across the snowy open ground, the lake to their left. Ratpaw gazed over at it, almost in disdain. It usually sparkled so beautifully at this time of night, but now, the waves seemed dark and cold and ugly.

It wasn't long before they reached the small island that was RiverClan's camp. It was nestled between two streams and surrounded by rocks and dead trees and bushes. The RiverClanners began to herd their new Clan members across the stream, shoving some of them or spitting at their paws. Ratpaw stepped into the water, a chill immediately traveling down his spine.

"Hurry up, kit," hissed a tom, Thornfang. Ratpaw sent him a glare, but he kept walking.

In their camp, the RiverClanners who hadn't gone to the Gathering greeted their Clanmates warmly as they were told what had happened. Ratpaw could sense several stares; he bitterly turned his face away.

In the darkness, Blossomstar was swiftly trotting over to a large, dead tree at the edge of the camp whose branches loomed over the cats. She climbed up and settled on a branch, wrapping her tail around her legs and looking down with a wide grin.

"Now that we're all here," she called, "I'd like to have everyone's attention, please."

Ratpaw exchanged a dark glance with Olivepaw. Beside him, Frostpaw pressed closer to his side. She hadn't said a word since Willowfall's exile.

The ex-ShadowClanners all grouped closely together, but Minnowbrook sat a bit further away from them. She seemed almost ashamed to even look at the cats she had once led. She had a dull expression on her face; Ratpaw wondered if she was thinking about Harestep.

"This," Blossomstar called out with a flick of an ear, "is now the permanent camp of every cat here. But now that the Clans have become one, our territory extends throughout the entire lake territory. However..." She lashed her tail, looking around the crowd with a calm smile. "Anyone who was not born into RiverClan must ask for permission to leave the camp, and mustn't leave without an escort of my choosing."

None of the ex-ShadowClanners said anything. They were all either looking away, or glaring at Blossomstar with a distaste that they couldn't do anything about.

"Blacktail remains to be my deputy," she continued, "and you will all respect him as such. I also expect our newcomers to listen to orders and do whatever they are asked to do without any questions." Her smile widened, exposing her white teeth. "Am I understood?"

When no one said anything, she tried again.

"Am I _understood...?"_

"Yes," several cats muttered. Some of the pureblood RiverClanners snickered and whispered to each other.

"Very good," Blossomstar purred, straightening up. "In that case, it's been a long day, has it not? Everyone, get some rest."

The crowd began shuffling as cats moved towards their dens. As Icewhisker approached the warriors' den, however, Blossomstar called out, "And where do you think _you're_ going...?"

Icewhisker glared up at her.

"The warriors' den."

"Oh, no, no," Blossomstar purred as she made her way down the tree, jumping and landing neatly on the ground. "All ex-ShadowClanners sleep outside. There's simply no room for all of you to fit, you see."

"What are you talking about?" Icewhisker hissed. "There's plenty of room, the dens are huge-"

"Did I not just tell you to sleep outside?" Blossomstar cut in, her voice rising dangerously. She shook her head, laughing lightly. "I suggest that you do as I say, Icewhisker, or you may get into some trouble."

The tom flattened his ears and turned away, rigidly curling up in the cold snow with a shiver. Ratpaw settled down beside Frostpaw and the other apprentices. Snowcloud lay close by. All the warriors curled up as close to each other as they could so they'd at least be a little warm. Ratpaw wrapped his tail around Frostpaw, resting his chin on her back. She was shivering.

Ratpaw lay like that for a long time, unable to even close his eyes. Most of the other cats seemed to be asleep. He wondered, vaguely, how they could be. After everything that had happened tonight, how could anyone sleep...?

He sighed, lifting his head as he glanced around the camp. This little island, surrounded by tall, unfamiliar trees with the sound of the streams trickling nearby... It was so different from the pine tree forest he was used to. He flattened his ears, once again remembering all the cats they had just lost. Not to mention Willowfall...

Flicking an ear, he blinked when he spotted the silhouette of a she-cat sitting at the edge of the island. She seemed to be looking out at the little patches of lake one could see through the branches of dead bushes. Her fur was ruffling in the cold breeze, but she stood stone-still. Ratpaw frowned, looking away. It was Minnowbrook.

_No,_ he thought bitterly. _Her name is Minnow_star.

Resting his head back on Frostpaw's back, he tried as hard as he could to empty his mind. Physically and mentally, he was exhausted, and despite himself, he wanted to sleep.

By the time he finally could, the sun was just beginning to rise across the lake, in the mountains.

**Yeah sorry that chapter was kind of uninteresting. I needed there to be some sort of transition between the battle and the ShadowClanners suddenly being part of RiverClan.**

**In other news my messanger is freAKING OUT so if you like get a PM meant for someone else don't shoot me k. Also I like can't PM certain people for some reason sooo idk ._.**

**Anyway, thank y'all for reading (:**

**TNT,**

**Pearls**


	35. Chapter 34: Resolution

**Jeeze, I haven't updated in a while... I know I always say this but I've been busy as hell with school and figuring out college stuff etc... Sorry :(**

**Recap: Blossomstar has taken over all four Clans, and leads the surviving ShadowClanners to RiverClan camp after Minnowstar admits to the ones who had stayed back at ShadowClan's camp what had happened. Blossomstar tells them all that she expects them to do as she says. They're told they can't sleep inside, and Ratpaw bitterly complies.**

Chapter 34

_Resolution_

[Snowcloud]

"...He'll always be remembered," a soft voice was murmuring; it was Forestwind, her multi-colored fur ruffling slightly, her head lowered, her eyes closed. Bluebird was standing beside her, comfortingly resting her tail on her back; beside them, Onespot, Frostpaw and Brightpaw, the other medicine cat apprentice, were bowing their heads.

Cats all around murmured prayers to StarClan as they, too, lowered their heads in respect for the tom that lay in the middle of camp, the moonlight shining on him so peacefully that it looked as though he were only asleep. Jaguarpaw, who had been struggling with greencough, had finally died, just an hour ago. Snowcloud watched, standing towards the back of the crowd, a small frown on her face.

"A shame," Blossomstar said softly from where she was perched up in the tree she often sat in. She had a tiny smile on her face as she shook her head. "Leafbare really is a hard time for everyone, isn't it?"

A low growl came from the crowd, and Snowcloud knew who it was before even turning around to look. Minnowbrook was glaring up at Blossomstar, lips pulled back and eyes narrowed.

"At least _we_ weren't the ones to leave him out in the woods, where he could have _died."_

"You know, it's funny," Blossomstar said loudly, looking around as if she were talking to the entire Clan now. "I was under the impression that it was improper to be so snide towards your _leader. _Don't you think, Minnowbrook...?"

The silver she-cat's eyes were on fire, but she looked away and didn't say anything else.

"Now, then," Blossomstar continued. "Someone take the kit out and bury him. I'd like to keep this camp smelling nice."

Snowcloud watched silently as several RiverClan cats moved forward and lifted up Jaguarpaw. The crowd cleared a way for them as they quietly made their way out of camp.

The she-cat sighed, looking around in the moonlight. In the week she'd been here, she'd hardly left the camp at all. None of the ShadowClanners had. They were forced to stay here, on this tiny island, only to be ridiculed and persecuted by the RiverClan cats. It was the same thing every day- they'd sit around, sometimes not being allowed to even talk to each other. They'd be called names, and sometimes they'd even be attacked- something Blossomstar condoned, of course. And then, at the end of the day, they'd get fed, if they were lucky. The RiverClanners were always the first to eat, and sometimes the ShadowClanners would have to go a couple of days without a single bite- even if there'd been extra that the RiverClan cats really didn't need.

ShadowClan had completely fallen apart. It was as simple as that.

ShadowClanners watched in silence as Jaguarpaw was taken away. Some of them lowered their heads and curled up next to each other; they still had to sleep outside.

Flicking an ear, she glanced over to see Ratpaw and Frostpaw sitting very close to each other. The tom had his tail wrapped around her, and Frostpaw had her head on his shoulder.

Blinking slowly, she took a step towards them, hesitated for a few seconds, then continued.

As she approached them, Ratpaw gave her a small, sad nod. Frostpaw lifted her head and looked at her, her expression blank, yet slightly cold. It didn't really surprise Snowcloud, seeing as how badly she'd been treating her sister lately.

Snowcloud flattened her ears, her heart beating faster, for some reason. The two apprentices stared at her, sensing she had something to say.

Finally, the warrior murmured, "Frostpaw, I... I want to talk to you."

Frostpaw looked initially surprised, but after a few seconds her eyes narrowed a bit and she regarded her sister coolly.

"I was just about to go to bed," she muttered. "It'll have to wait."

"Frostpaw-"

"Goodnight." With that, the delicate white she-cat, looking even thinner than usual, got to her paws and walked away.

Snowcloud watched her leave, a frown on her face. Ratpaw looked at her curiously before taking a step closer to her.

"...What's going on?" he asked, his voice low. "You haven't spoken to her in weeks."

Snowcloud's frown deepened, and she turned away. In the week she had been here in RiverClan, she had had time to think.

"Ratpaw, I..." She sighed, turning to look at him. "I want to tell you. About why I've been acting this way. But... I can't. Not yet."

The tom stared at her, a look of worry in his eyes.

"Snowcloud, what's-"

"I'm going to get some sleep," she murmured, looking down. "Sorry, Ratpaw. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

Without waiting for him to respond, she turned and slowly padded away, ears flattened. Shivering, she curled up into as tight a ball as she could manage. The wind whistled in her ears and ruffled her pelt, the cold seeping into her skin, reaching her bones. She wished more than ever that she could sleep inside, for once. But she couldn't. None of them could.

And before she knew it, she was no longer lying in the snow. She was in the all too familiar field of poppies, a warm wind ruffling her fur as she opened her eyes, the white light from the sky coming down to meet her. Squinting, she staggered to her paws, lashing her tail as she looked around. She was hoping she would wind up here tonight. She always used to feel so excited to open her eyes and see this forest before her. Happiness would bubble up inside of her when she'd see Emberheart come and talk to her. For a while, she thought that Emberheart was the only friend she really had. She'd talk to her, and Emberheart would listen. She seemed to understand her.

But something, and Snowcloud didn't quite know what, slowly began to change. Perhaps it was the night she had announced at the Gathering that Willowfall had killed Emberheart and Graystar, and hearing the truth- that Willowfall done it to protect the ones she loved. Her kits.

But Emberheart... She'd been telling Snowcloud otherwise. That Willowfall was _evil._ And Willowfall wasn't the only one being labeled as such.

Frostpaw...

For weeks, Snowcloud had kept that prophecy in her mind- "_With Leafbare will come the Frost that will kill all."_ That was why she had been acting so cold towards her sister. And of course, it had been a shock when Emberheart had told her that the only way to stop her would be to end her life. And that only Snowcloud could do it.

She frowned, looking around, waiting impatiently, and almost nervously, for Emberheart to appear.

She didn't have to wait long; a few moments later, a flash of red appeared in the trees, and Emberheart emerged from the undergrowth, looking absolutely delighted.

"Hello, there, Snowcloud!" she purred, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her legs when she reached her. "I'm sorry I haven't been keeping in touch. StarClan has been so busy. I haven't had the chance to thank you for what you did at the last Gathering. Because of you, everyone could see Willowfall for who she really is- a murderer. The Clans will be better off without her."

"..._Clan,"_ muttered Snowcloud bitterly, looking down. "The _Clan._"

Emberheart frowned. "Ah, yes. There seems to be only one Clan, now."

A surge of irritation went through Snowcloud, and she suddenly lifted her head, glaring at Emberheart.

"Well, why don't you _do_ anything about it?" she demanded. "StarClan isn't supposed to _allow_ this sort of thing! There were always meant to be four Clans. Always. And yet, StarClan seems to be sitting back, not lifting a paw to stop this!" She flexed her claws, digging them into the soft ground. "Cats are _dying._ Can't you see how we're being treated? Everyone who isn't a pure RiverClan cat is being persecuted. We have to sleep outside, we're lucky if we get to eat just a _scrap_ of food in a day... Why are you letting this _happen?"_

Emberheart blinked, looking a bit surprised. Then, she frowned, letting out a long, deep sigh as she looked away sadly.

"Some things are beyond the control of StarClan, I'm afraid," she murmured softly. "Of course we don't condone what Blossomstar is doing. But we cannot control the fate of the Clans. If there really were meant to be four Clans, then what is happening now won't last."

Snowcloud narrowed her eyes, taking a step back. "This is ridiculous," she growled. "...But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about. I wanted to talk to you about Frostpaw."

"Ah, yes," Emberheart mewed, looking troubled. "Snowcloud, it is necessary that you do something soon. If you wait, then everything will be destroyed because of her-"

"Really, now?" Snowcloud said rigidly, lashing her tail. "Answer me this, Emberheart. What more could she _possibly_ to do the Clans, now?"

Emberheart stared at her, as if unable to comprehend how this cat could possibly speak out against her.

"That's not all," Snowcloud muttered. "She hasn't done _anything_ wrong so far. She was my best friend, and I lost her because of what you told me. I really took what you said to heart. I really did think she was a danger to us all." She shook her head, taking in a deep breath. "Tell me this, Emberheart. How come you told me this prophecy of Frostpaw, but didn't give me _any_ clue as to what Blossomstar would do to us? And how come you were the _only_ one who seemed to confirm the prophecy was even _about_ Frostpaw?"

"I already _told_ you, Snowcloud," Emberheart said, suddenly standing up. She was evidently trying hard to stay calm. "The prophecy's validity has been confirmed with the rest of StarClan-"

"Then I'd like to talk to them," Snowcloud growled. "Take me to the rest of StarClan. I want to talk to them myself."

Emberheart's eyes slowly began to narrow, lips pulled back slightly.

"You think I'm _lying,_ then, are you?" she hissed, suddenly so aggressive that Snowcloud took a step back. "You think I made it _up?_ I am part of _StarClan!_ Don't you think that if I was giving you a false prophecy, someone would _do_ something about it?"

"For all I know, you're keeping it well-hidden from them," Snowcloud snapped back, actually a bit surprised with herself for how she was acting. But she didn't care. She had had time to think this all through. "You're using me, aren't you? You already made me tell everyone what Willowfall had done."

"Which was true!" Emberheart yelled. "She admitted it, herself!"

"She did it to protect her _kits,"_ growled Snowcloud. "If I were her, I probably would have done the same thing."

"And how do you know she wasn't lying?" countered Emberheart.

"How do I know _you're_ not lying?"

Emberheart's eyes were blazing now, her fur rising.

"You have some _gall _to accuse me of such a thing," she growled, her voice dangerously low. But, trying to calm herself down, she lashed her tail and looked at her. "Consider this, Snowcloud. If you think I'm lying to you- _why_ would I lie about Frostpaw being part of the prophecy? What could I _possibly_ gain? I hardly knew her at all. Making up a fake prophecy just to get you to kill her would be a lot of work, wouldn't it? I can't think of a _single_ reason as to why that would benefit me."

Snowcloud narrowed her eyes, staring at her. She wanted to think of a comeback, she wanted _something_ to say, but... She had to admit, Emberheart had a good point. When she was alive, she and Frostpaw hardly ever interacted. What good would it do for her to create a false prophecy about her?

Suddenly, Snowcloud's eyes widened, her mouth dropping open. She stared at the she-cat before her, her entire body suddenly becoming numb, her heart beginning to beat quickly and loud against her chest. Her muscles grew stiff, her mind suddenly churning wildly.

Of course, it was just a theory. But... But if it were true_..._

If it were _true..._

"I... I want to wake up now," Snowcloud murmured shakily as she stared at her paws, her eyes still wide.

"What's the matter with you?" growled Emberheart.

"I want to wake up," repeated Snowcloud, her voice more hoarse this time. She suddenly looked up at Emberheart with an expression close to horror. "I want to wake up," she spoke, louder, now. "I want to-!"

Her eyes suddenly shot open, and she leapt to her paws, panting, her eyes wide. It was dark; probably the middle of the night. Everyone else seemed to be asleep. It was snowing lightly, and the cold breeze made her shiver.

Still breathing deeply, she numbly took a few steps forward; through the trees and dead bushes, she could see patches of the lake.

Shivering, she let out a shaky breath, lowering her head and clenching her eyes shut. For a few moments, she just stood there in silence, looking almost in pain.

Then, she opened them, and turned to look over at where Ratpaw and Frostpaw were sleeping side by side. She frowned, her ears flattening slightly. She wanted to tell them, but she couldn't. She didn't want to put them in danger. And besides, she didn't even know if she was right.

Letting out a sigh, she looked back towards the lake, a look of unshakable resolution set on her face.

She had to find Willowfall.

**Alala review please? :)**

**Till next time,**

**Pearly**


	36. Chapter 35: A Fool

**Whaddup.**

**Recap: Jaguarpaw, who ShadowClan had taken in, succumbs to his illness and dies. Snowcloud wants to talk to Frostpaw, who refuses. Ratpaw senses there's something wrong, but Snowcloud won't tell him. She goes to sleep and wakes up to see Emberheart. She begins to argue with her, voicing her doubts that Frostpaw is actually a threat. Emberheart is furious that she thinks she's making up a false prophecy, and asks her what she could possibly gain from it. Snowcloud can't think of an answer, but then realizes something and looks at her with horror. When she wakes up, she decides to go and find Willowfall.**

Chapter 35

_A Fool_

"...What do you _mean,_ she's gone?"

"Olivepaw, I'm telling you, I haven't seen her in hours. She just vanished!"

"Maybe she's feeling sick and is in the medicine den?"

Cedarpaw blinked open his eyes, only to be greeted with the sight of cloudy skies and snow falling. A shiver crawled down his spine and his stomach was growling loudly, but he tried to ignore it.

Yawning and getting to his paws, he glanced around to see that only a few others were still sleeping; most of the Clan was already awake.

"I checked, already. Onespot and the others haven't seen her, either."

Pricking his ears, Cedarpaw turned to see Ratpaw, Frostpaw, and Olivepaw, their heads bent low. Ratpaw's tail was twitching frantically, and he was talking rapidly and anxiously, worry in his amber eyes. Frostpaw was sitting beside him, saying nothing, looking away, ears flattened slightly, almost looking _ashamed._

Frowning, Cedarpaw made his way over to the other apprentices.

"What's going on?" he asked quietly. Ratpaw looked at him, apparently a bit stunned. It seemed like the others still weren't used to hearing Cedarpaw speak. He'd only just begun to talk again since his confrontation with Olivepaw when he'd told her all about how he had killed his father and about the death of his brother, Waterkit. And as far as he knew, she was still the only one who knew.

"...It's Snowcloud," Ratpaw murmured, looking back and forth between him and Olivepaw frantically. "I'm telling you, I haven't seen her since last night. She seemed worried about something, too, but wouldn't tell me what was wrong."

"...I shouldn't have been so cold, last night," Frostpaw muttered, flattening her ears and staring at her paws. "I should have let her talk to me. I didn't realize that something could be wrong."

"It isn't your fault, Frostpaw," Ratpaw said quietly. "No one can blame you for acting that way. She... hasn't been exactly friendly towards you, lately."

"Well, what are we supposed to _do?"_ Frostpaw demanded, looking up at the others with worry. "No matter what she's done or how she's been acting lately... She's still my sister, and I can see now that something is wrong."

"I just don't get it," Olivepaw muttered. "Where could she possibly have gone?"

"Well, maybe she thought that anywhere's better than here," Ratpaw said quietly. "With the way Blossomstar's been running things. But I'd have thought she'd have at least _said_ something..."

"Can we try following her scent?" Cedarpaw suggested quietly, again causing Ratpaw and Frostpaw to jump at the sound of his voice. He tried to ignore it. "...Maybe we can get a sense of the direction she was going in..."

"The only problem is getting out of here without anyone noticing us," Olivepaw muttered. "Blossomstar's got guards all around the island. It's a wonder Snowcloud managed to slip by them in the first place. But four of us...? How are we supposed to pull _that_ off?"

"We could make a distraction," said Cedarpaw softly, glancing back and forth at the others. "Let's just ask one of the other apprentices. Maybe Littlepaw or Brokenpaw will help us."

The others looked a bit hesitant at first, but finally Frostpaw murmured, "...I think it's the best chance we've got. If we have any chance of finding Snowcloud, then we need to leave right away. Depending on when she left, the snow could've already covered up her scent..."

"Alright," said Ratpaw quietly, straightening up and glancing over to where Littlepaw and Brokenpaw were sitting together, their heads low. Ever since the death of their mother last week, they'd barely talked with anyone else at all. Cedarpaw blinked slowly as he watched them. They had just lost their sister, and now, their mother.

_A bit like me,_ Cedarpaw thought; he, too, had lost both a sibling and a parent. Though he supposed the circumstances under which they had died made his situation a bit different.

"Wait here, I'll go ask them," Ratpaw murmured as he made his way over to them.

Olivepaw, Cedarpaw, and Frostpaw sat in silence as they watched. Olivepaw glanced over at Cedarpaw, giving him a tiny, worried smile. He tried to smile back.

A moment later, Ratpaw came back.

"They'll do it," he murmured. "We just need to give them the signal. We should go wait at the edge of camp."

"Frostpaw, have you told your mother about this?" Olivepaw mewed.

"Furzetail doesn't know, no," the white cat murmured, looking down. "I didn't want to worry her. I was hoping we'd be able to find Snowcloud ourselves before anyone else realized she was missing."

"C'mon," Ratpaw whispered as he made his way to the edge of camp. The others followed and crept behind a tree, staying low to the ground. Now, most of the Clan was awake and chatting or going off on patrols.

Cedarpaw spotted Brokenpaw and Littlepaw on the other side of camp, near the edge. They were looking at Ratpaw, waiting for a signal.

Then, Ratpaw nodded his head. Understanding, Brokenpaw suddenly out out a blood-curdling cry, collapsing to the ground.

Within seconds, there was commotion as everyone ran forward or looked at each other in confusion, trying to figure out what was going on, panic in the air.

"It's now or never," breathed Ratpaw. "Let's go!"

And with that, the four apprentices turned and dashed off, leaping over the stream and running as quickly as they could for the trees.

. . .

The grass and bright red poppies rustled in the soft, warm breeze, the sky bright as Emberheart kept walking through the trees. Her narrowed green eyes were glowing and focussed on the path before her. A yellow butterfly landed on her head; the she-cat snapped at it irritably and it flew away.

She walked quickly and with purpose, her jaw still clenched together in fury. Snowcloud had confronted her, accusing her of lying, that she'd made up the prophecy about Frostpaw. The _nerve_ of her. Who was _she_ to try and put Emberheart in her place? She let out a low growl, her fur rising just thinking about it.

Not that she had been wrong, of course.

This had all been going so smoothly. Snowcloud had seemed like the perfect cat to try and befriend, someone who would be easily swayed and would trust anything that would come her way. Emberheart had picked her because she was _stupid._

So what changed? What had made the white she-cat suddenly doubt her and give her the courage to speak out against her?

And what had she been talking about, just before she'd woken up...? She'd froze, her eyes suddenly wide with some sort of new understanding. And the way she'd looked at Emberheart...

She couldn't have figured it all out, could she have? No... There was no possible way. There was no possible way _this_ cat had completely figured out just what exactly it was Emberheart was doing.

The corners of her lips rose into a small smirk. Even if she _did_ know, then it wouldn't matter for long, would it?

She pushed through a clump of ferns, and when she came out, she came to a small stream, and across the water was a different scene completely.

On the other side, the trees were suddenly dark. They were tall and black, their leafless branches long and entwining with one another. There was a dark fog covering the ground, which consisted only of rotting leaves and tangled thorn bushes; nothing else. The sky above it was dark, as well, with quickly-moving storm clouds out of which bolts of lightning would shoot every now and then. Instead of the sounds of birds calling and squirrels chasing each other that one would hear in the forest _Emberheart_ came from, the only sounds to be heard here were faint screeching and shrieking sounds, though it was impossible to tell if they were cats or some other animal. This narrow stream separated two completely different worlds- StarClan and the Dark Forest.

Emberheart flicked an ear and sat down, impatiently lashing her tail. He should have been here, by now.

She didn't have to wait long, After just a few moments, the shadow of a cat appeared from the darkness, though the fog was so thick it was impossible to see his features clearly. It was only after he slowly took a step into the stream and began to walk across it into the light that he could be seen clearly; he was a large, lean, light brown tabby with glowing amber eyes.

Once he stepped onto Emberheart's side of the bank, he shook his paws dry and looked at the she-cat.

"You know," Emberheart mewed, a soft smile on her face, "I'm impressed you're still able to find your way through the Dark Forest to StarClan. You're the only cat who's ever managed to do that."

"It took a lot of time to find the right path," he said in a low voice. "...I trust no one else knows about this? It's supposed to be impossible for Dark Forest cats to reach StarClan, and vice versa. If anyone found out about this..."

"Please," snorted Emberheart. "Who would I tell? Those fools haven't the slightest idea of what _I'm_ doing, either. They keep surprisingly little supervision on me, considering I wanted to kill Willowfall." She lifted a paw and flexed her claws, examining them. "But I guess that isn't important to them. As long as I didn't _actually_ kill anyone, I can roam StarClan as I wish." She looked up at the tom. "Too bad the same couldn't be said for you, could it, Reedfur?"

The tom's eyes darkened, and he pulled his lips back slightly.

"Enough idle chat. You wanted to speak to me, did you not? Tell me what you want, and be quick about it; I don't want anyone to find out I'm here."

"Relax," muttered Emberheart. "No one's listening. What I wanted to ask you is this- you were able to travel from the Dark Forest to Earth, were you not?"

Reedfur regarded her somewhat coolly, his whiskers twitching.

"What of it?"

"You truly are an incredible cat," remarked Emberheart with a grin. "Not only were you able to do what's supposedly impossible- cross from the Dark Forest to StarClan- but you were also able to return to the living world? What is it about _you,_ of all cats, that has the ability to do this?"

Reedfur narrowed his eyes. "If you only brought me here to make snide remarks, then I think I'll be going back."

"Not so fast," Emberheart mewed, getting to her paws and taking a step closer. "I just want to ask you something. How did you do it? How were you able to get back to the living world?"

"...Someone else from the Dark Forest told me how," Reedfur muttered. "He showed me. But it isn't as simple as going to and from the living world as you please."

"Then how do you do it?" growled Emberheart, growing impatient. "Tell me!"

"I'd prefer it if you didn't raise your voice," Reedfur said in a low voice, eyes narrowed. "It's like this. Every once in a while, a... A portal will appear. No one knows why, or who or what made it. However, it's extremely difficult to find; it will appear in a random place in the Dark Forest, at a random time. It was only due to luck that I happened to stumble upon it and was able to go back to Earth."

"So what you're saying is this," Emberheart said, flattening her ears, looking disappointed, "the chances of you finding that portal again are very slim."

"Exactly," Reedfur mewed. He hesitated and looked at her in a way that suggested he had more to say.

"What is it?" Emberheart demanded, catching on. "You have an idea, don't you?"

"Not exactly," he grunted. "It's just a rumor, actually; it might not be true at all. But this Dark Forest cat I met also told me this: it may be possible to open the portal at any given time with the help of a StarClan cat."

"Well, isn't that convenient?" purred Emberheart, brightening up. "If you haven't forgotten, you're talking to a StarClan cat right now."

"It's _much_ easier said than done," Reedfur growled. "The portal only exists in the Dark Forest. For you to go through it, you'd have to cross the border into the Dark Forest, something that you've tried and failed to do."

"Then I'll just have to try harder until I find a way to do it," countered Emberheart, straightening up.

"Why do you want to go back to the living world so badly, anyway?" muttered Reedfur, lashing his tail.

Emberheart just grinned.

"There are a few cats I wish to kill."

Reedfur just snorted. "Even if you _do_ succeed, StarClan will surely find out and banish you to the Dark Forest."

"That's a price I'd be willing to pay," the she-cat responded. "As long as I can see them all die... That's all I want."

"And what about your son?" pressed Reedfur. "Badgerkit? You'd be separated from him for good. Isn't his death the whole reason you have this grudge against Willowfall?"

At his words, Emberheart's face suddenly fell. She lowered her head, a sudden look of something close to sorrow appearing on her face. Her eyes darkened as she turned away.

"...Badgerkit refuses to see me," she murmured. "Because of everything I've done."

"And you're willing to throw away any chance of rekindling your relationship with him?" Reedfur demanded. "Maybe if you stopped all this scheming and you showed him the good in you, he'd forgive you and you could live happily in StarClan together."

"...It's too late for that," Emberheart growled, lifting her head to glare at him, her eyes suddenly flaring. "The only thing I want now is to see Willowfall suffer."

"You really are a fool," Reedfur muttered, looking at her with distaste as he straightened up. "I pity you, Emberheart."

"And what do _you_ know about good relationships with children?" the she-cat spat. "You _killed_ one of _your_ sons, and _tried_ to kill the other after _he_ killed _you._ Sounds like a _flawless_ parent-child relationship." She then began to laugh as she shook her head.

Reedfur's blazing amber eyes narrowed to slits, his lips pulled back, exposing his sharp, white teeth.

"That's it," he snarled. "If you wanted my help, you can forget it. I'm not helping _you."_

"Fine!" exclaimed Emberheart, still caught in a fit of laughter. "I don't _need_ your help! I don't need _anyone's _help!"

As she continued to laugh, Reedfur sneered at her in distaste and swiftly turned, making his way back across the stream and once again vanishing into the darkness and thick fog until any trace of him was gone.

It wasn't until he was out of sight that Emberheart finally began to stop laughing. Her smirk fell into a frown as she watched where he had left. She stood there for a few moments, the soft wind ruffling her fur, the tom's words repeating themselves in her mind.

_ Maybe if you stopped all this scheming and you showed him the good in you, he'd forgive you and you could live happily in StarClan together... You really are a fool..._

Emberheart flattened her ears as she turned away from the Dark Forest and looked out into the direction she came from- into the light and the red bursts of poppies and the bluebirds chasing each other in the warm wind.

And in a low, sad voice, she murmured, "...Badgerkit..."

**Yeahh, the reason I didn't put [Cedarpaw] at the beginning of this chapter like I usually do was because there was so little of him here (sorry about that!). It was mostly about Emberheart.**

**Anyway, thanks everyone who's been reviewing, y'all are the greatest.**

**Till next time,**

**Pearls**


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